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(Ultr iFarminiiitnu fHyth. 



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m 



HIEN THF. LORD MADIC I'llJi WOULD III-: MADE 
ASIA, AFUIL'A, AM) Kl'KOl'E, AND LAST OF ALL 
UK ^L\I1K NOKIII AM) SOUTH AMKKICA. UK. 
MADE THE AMI-KH'AS Willi M'ECTAL CAUE, AS ITIAT 
IS IHE I'LAiK WIIEKF I 1 1 E NAITONS OF III K WiiKLD 
WOULD F1^AL1.^■ COMK roOElllER. WIII'.N IHK LORD 
WAS MAKING NEW ENGLAND, ONE OF IHE 1,1 FILE 
ANGELS ASKED THAT HE TOO MIGHI MAKE A SIAFF. 
SO THE LOKD LF.T HIM MAKE THE SI All. oh CONM.C 
TICUT. AS THE LIFTLE ANGELS SHAI'l.D IHE KIVEKS 
AND BUILT Ul' TlII^ MOUNTAINS, HIS ITlEFKs WEKK 
RED WITH KXCFFEMENT. liUT WHEN lUE WORK SVAS 
NEARLY FINISHED THERE WAS A LARGE HOLLOW AND 
THE MATERIAL WAS ALL GONE. THEN THE ITT I LE 
ANGEL WAS OVERWHELMED WITH CONFUSION. V.VV 
THE LORD LOOK HIM KINDLY IIY THE HAND, AND FHE 
LORD TOOK FROM THE FOLDS OF HIS MANTLE SOME 
OF THE STUFF OF WHICH PARADISE IS MADE AND HE 
FITTED IT INTO THE HOLE AND THE IT.ACE WAS 
FARMINGTON. 

R. l;. B. 







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LEWIS COWLES PLACE 



PHOTOGRAPHIC PEPRODUCTIONS, ILLFSTi; ATlXii KVERV 

HOME IN THE TOWN. 



PROMINENT PEOPLE PAST ANP PHKSENT, 

ALL OF THE SCHOOL CHlLDItLN, 

LOCAL ANTIQUES, ETC. 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 

1906. 



^ 



IPutilisbc? bv 

X-lriLnir X. .iSran^cocc anC> !l£^^v 1R. Smitb 

jFiU'minoton, Conn. 



D'l' ' 



c 



THE CITY F'K:NTING COMPANY 
MAIN STRRET, HARTFORD 



iFaruttugtnn. ^ 





I'.iiiiisi:^ i;\ IK\V FiKiM ■■i}ii; w ii,l\i\vs." 

I" THE town of Farming- 
toll is as hjautifiil as some 
of its admirers believe, it 
must lie largely bscause of 
its ciimliiiialinn of river 
and miiuiilaiii landscapes. 
Contrary to what many 
think the artist docs not seek those 
places with panoramic effects ; with 
snow clad mountains where there is 
a single ^'iew'. which ma\' look like a 
map. But he loves liettcr those vil- 
lages like Farmington. where the coun- 
trv is broken into many accdients and 
corners that are picturesque and beauti- 
ful. 



1 ra\ crscd from north to soiuh b\ 
trap ledges that broke through the 
sand stone millions of years ago. this 
town lies along the side of the moun- 
tain, and below, the Farmington River 
makes :i great bend and Hows off to- 
wards .Avon to j(.iin the Connecticut. 

The wide Hat meadows, chased over 
by countless effects of cloud where the 
Marsh ll.awk sails silently along scek- 



niaples and willows that herald the 
snring. and acres and acres of sturdy 
llowers in the late suntmer tiiat rdmost 
conceal the grazing cattle. 

Beyond i.s Will Warren's den .anr! 
The Pinnacle. 'Here is tilkible Land 
between the mountains, with the res- 
ervoir that looks like a lake among the 
hills ( Lake Wads worth). Here also arc 
the Peach ()rch;irds. Diamond (ilen, 




"^.:^ 






|-|.\.\.\(I.K .Mill Nl \l.\. 



ing its prey, are not one of the least 
parts of tlie beauties of Farmington. 
rhere the sluggisli Peciuabnck flows, 
uncertain whether to move toward New 
Haven or toward the north. Here the 
long meadow's are lilled wilh red 



and Hooker's Gro\e. 

1 here is a tradition th.al upon 



.stil 







moonlight nights the form of .m Indian 
may be seen passing down the moun- 
tainside at Hooker's drove with .a deer 
thrown over his shoulder. Hut be- 
ware do not speak to him. for no one 
may speak to him with im]iunit\'. 

This long ch.ain of trap ledges, a 
|i.irt of the Green Monnl.iins, is hlled 
wilh flmvers, with birds, with sipiirrels 
anil with coons. It is the home of the 
partrid.ge and of the woodcock, the Red 
l'"\ed V'ireo and the ()\>-n Bird. 

['"roin the mountains descend some of 
the most beautiful brooks in the world. 
Without particularly miiuioning the 
I liamond (ilen brook, there is the brook 
tb.at flows through Rice's Woods, 
h.very beant.\ that belongs to ,a little 
brook is there, from the brown pools 
where the trout live, to the broad 
i;ravcll\ stretches where cverytliing i.s 
twinkling in the sun. .Another bcauti- 



n I ■ - I M.I 



FARMIXGTOX. CONNECTICUT, 




i\ H> ■! Ml I i; > i,i;ii\ 




Sii'i: III- 1 11,1 1 i\iii \s I'c.i: I VI I Mi: I' LdT. 




fill brook is tlie one that rises below 
the Smith place. One may not see 
tile stream at lirst for it is thickly 
fringed b_\' a wonijertu! collection of 
white bircli trees. At times a deer 
may he seen returiiiii.s> to these places 
after an interval of years. In fact 
there is little change in this brook 
smce the Indians li\e(l in their fort on 
h'ort Lot over on the golf links of the 
Coiinlr\ Club. g 



n GLANCE AT THE 
EAPMINCTON LANDSCAPE 



■'Such a thoughtful idea of Prov- 
Klence. to run rivers through all large 



If she has ever 
he would have 
south plan 
arrangement 
shadow at 



and 
Ibis 



\u:si « Mtii ■ Kt,siht:\( i: of \ins. i:i)\v.M!i) a. sihtu. 



cities," said the la(l\ 
been in I-"arniington 
considered the north 
ei|uall\ felicitous, 
brings effects of light .and 
nionhng and evening hours that an east 
and «(si \alley does not. It also al- 
lows the summer south breeze full pl.i\ 
tlir. ■ugh it — a satisfactory arrangement, 
as we ,all know, — while no such sweep 
IS allowed the west winds of winter. 
What ,1 be.intiful, distinguished vallej' 
it is, hills and meadows and forests do- 
ing just the right, restful thing. Be.\ond 
the w.irni gray, lichen-Hecked post and 
rail fence, suggesting bars of music, as 
the hilltop hay held and old fashioned 
apple orchard, sloping awa\ to a pas- 
ture where the cows in the summer 
lia/es look almost like masses of wild 
flowers, their color is so soft and deli- 
cate. '1 hen come tlie steeper open 
fields gliding down to the main street, 
now hidden by the line old trees. Here 
and there shows a bit of roof or old 
red barn, ;iiid charm of all, the most 
exquisitely proportioiie<l church spire 
ever designed. Still further appear 
the delicious meadows, with tile river 
and its offspring, the "Pequabuc," 
winding .about just as fancy takes them, 
as though delaying as long as possible 
the niomeiit when they arc to be swal- 
lowed up by the swallower of all rivers. 
(I remember quite well the shock pro- 
duced by suddenly realizin.g that it 
was not the same water which ran 
through my favorite brook year after 
year, and taking what comfort I could 
from the constancy of the banks and 
rocks, ) The meadows are frequeiitl> 
dotted with white, .-igain pink or re<l al 
sunset. Then begins the western slope 
through .a wooil, more pastures, and 
finally the dark wooded hills touching 
the sky in a line as beautiful and ele- 
gant as a perfect arm, wrist and hand, 
far plcasanter for every day comrade- 
ship than bold, arrogant outlines. 
May oin- valley be always preserved 
from the landscape "gardener." an un- 
accoimtable mani.a tli.at so many of us 
h.ave for making nature suggest furni- 
ture. — luinniii!;ti>ii Ma};aciiic. Oct. igoi. 

Cll.\HLES FOSTKR. 



THE VILLAGE OE BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



(il6 ^0us^js in iFarmmgtnu. 



BY JULIUS GAY 




rijji MUCK ni!iii(;i:. 

0^f M ^ THE winter of 1639. when 
jl the town of Hartford had been 
Tl founded three and one-half 
KS^ >ears, and Windsor and Weth- 
crsfield about the same time, 
all three towns began to think their 
broad acres too limited, and applied to 
the General Court "for some enlarge- 
ment of accommodation." .-\ committee 
was appointed to view the valley of the 
Tunxis and report on the 20th of Feb- 
ruary, but Windsor was busy building 
a bridge and a meeting house, and their 
neighbors of Wetherstield objected to 
tlie wintry weather ; so the Court added 
to the committee Capt. John Mason, 



who had recently rid tlic colony of 600 
or 700 Pequots. and who brought the 
Court on the 15th of June following to 
order the Particular Court "to conclude 
the conditions for the planting of 
Tun.xis." 

Five years thereafter, in 1645, the vil- 



lage of Tunxis Sepus, literally the vil- 
l.igi- at tile licnd of the little river, be- 
came by legislative enactment llie town 
of Farmington. 

The settlers found the natural fea- 
tures of the i)lace much as we see theiti 
to-dav. To the east of the m.iiii street 




(1) THE .lonx (_'I>Alili IIOUSi:— BUILT IX 171)11— I!A/,i;i) ISSil, 




their lots extended to the mountain, and 
on the west to the river, beyond which 
fertile meadows spread away to the 
western hills, undisligured for more than 
one hundred years by divisional fences, 
a broad panorama of waving grain and 
green corn liclds. 

The lanil was indeed owned in sev- 
eralty, but annually the proprietors voted 
on what day in October they would use 
it for pasturage, and on what day in 
.\l)ril all must remove their flocks and 
herds. Access to this common held was 
through the North Meadow Gate just 
west of the Catholic church, or through 
the South Meadow Gate near the Pe- 
quabuc stone bridge. .\Iong the 
main street houses began to rise, log 
iiuts at first, each provided by law witli 
a ladder reaching to the ridge to be 
examined every six months by tlie chim- 
ney-viewers. In 171 1 the town granted 
fourscore acres of land to encourage the 
erectioti of a saw-mill. Init long before 



(2) TIIK IIIO.NIiV FAItMAM I'l.ACE. 
*Part of an liistoi-ical address deliverod at the ulinual nieetiiiK of tile fillage Library Company. Maj", 1905. 



ARMTXGTOX. COXXECTICUT, 




(■',) Till': iCLi.iAii m:\ms piack hi'ii/i' in iviio— hhsiiikxcf, (II- ( ii\i:i,i:s i.kwis. 



whicli was the approved style until the 
tinu- of the Rfvohition. and which is 
evrn nnw being re\ ivcd under the name 
ai the Old Colonial style. The huge 
ihinniey was at length divided into two. 
and moved out of the wa\- of the front 
diMir, whieli now. with its polished lirass 
knoeker. welcomed the approaching guest. 
.An old house was seldom pulled down, 
Init. moved to the re.ir, it maile a kitchen 
for the newer strnelnre. so that in time 
the house had as man\ styles of archi- 
tecture .and d.itcs of erection as an Eng- 
lish lalhedral. 

.\s we lirst come in sight of the vil- 
lage, looking down upon it from the 
llarlford ro.id. v\ e see on ilie left one 
of our oldi.-sl houses long owne(l by 
.Si'ih .Xorih. .and hnilt li> his f.ather 
'liniothy or his grandfather I homas. 
Mr, .\(.rlh did not t.ake kindl\' to I'uri- 
t.in w.i\s .and never went to church, and 
so was universally known as "Sinner 



this lime fr.inie houses h.n! licrn hmll, 
llir side. co\erel wilh sliorl ckipl>o,ii-.U 
split toiii jo.^s riie ojiU'sl house of 
wliich we knov\ lln' dale of eri-clion was 
liMilt in 170 ) li\ John CI. irk ( I I .ind 
stood nnlil iX^o on llie east -.ide oj 
riigh siia-el. ,-1 lilile sonlh of .Mrs Ikar- 
ne\'s. It hail .1 le.inio roof, llir nppci 
sloi-\ ninch pri'jeclnig. .and orn.tni.nl ed 
with conspicn<ins pend.nUs. ,\nolhei", 
the l.asi .if ilns siyK-, Inn with modern 
circling, slill -.lands .ahoiii ^e\cnl\ li\e 
rods fnrllier sonlli I J) W'ilhni. a hu.ge 
ehimiuy wilh its cnoinious lire-place 
.and o\ens. Iilled .'i l.irg,' p.arl of ihe 
lowi-r slory. h.arring ;ill convenieiil .ac- 
cess III ilu- interior of llu- hoUNe li\ llie 
from door, IhU Ill's saiaa'd port.il w.is 
seldoai used except fo]- wa-ddings. In- 
iii'raN. and d;i\s of soK-nm lli;mksgi\ ing, 
L.iler on .appears llie g.imhrel rool. 




\i;i>i; III; \mm:i;]:i; 




I) lilt; ii\Mia. < 1 liri.s i'i,\ci: mii.i' in it.,' m ria.-u \i;iis 01. n 11 wis i.iiii;\K\ 
- KHsiiiicM t; of Fi!i:i). e. .s\\.\.nstu.\. 



.\orlh " r.\ llie elhlihen he was ple.isvd 
to lie iiddiessvil ill the most deferential 
m.anner .is ".Mr, Sinner," .\ most e\- 
celliail authority, writing me ahoul the 
I'M-liiiie character of the \illage. men- 
tioiieil "its mii\ersall\ genteel wa>'s, 
where i\ir\liody went to church e.x- 
ci'pt Sinner Xorlh," lie was other- 
wise so much in .iccord.ince with niodcaai 
i<leas. tli.il .IS he (ha-w near ins end. he 
ordeia-d his hody to he erem.ited. the 
pkiee .1 lonely spot on the mount. lin lie- 
twiin two rocks, and his friend. Adam 
.Sirwait. chief crematcn'. who w.is 10 
inherit the house fcu' his kindly sei\ices. 
Ihe civil anihority. however, inlerposrd 
.and insisted on giving 'aim wh.il the\ 
deemed a t'hristi:in hnri.il. lint \ilani 
.Stew.irt got the house and it remanied 
in the famil\ many \c-.ars. Xearl\ op- 
posite siood in lve\ olutionary d.i\s Ihe 
tavern of .Sanniel Xorth. Jr. lli-. too, 



THE VILLAGE OF CKAUTIFUL HOMES. 



found his ways at variaTici' with puhhc 
opinion, hought, as he states it. his rum, 
sugar, tea, ete., in viohition of the ex- 
cise laws, in foreign iiarts, sold them for 
Continental money whicli proved worth- 
less and then was arrested on complaint 
of Thomas Lewis and Deacon Bull and 
fined iioo. the General Court declining 
to interfere. A little east of Mr. North's 
tavern stood the lii>nu- of the liird family 
from whom the hill derived its name. 
They have all long a.go taken their flight 
to other towns, hut our oldest men can 
easily remember the old house and the 
tragic end of Xoadiah liird. one of the 
last of the family wdio dweU there, lie 
was killed by an escaped hm,-itic on the 
night of Sunday, May 15, 1S25, and the 
attempt to capture the lunatic resulted 
in the death of still another citizen. De- 
scending the hill toward tlie west, we 
lind on the corner where the road, for- 
merly called the road to Simsburv. runs 





ij-) i'i.'i:hi;i;ii K wiiKi ■; i'i,\(i", iii:siiii:\(i': 



(■•i) INTEtilOl! OK 01,1) Tl'XXlS l.lltlt.MtV -(/'/..,/„ /,;/ /). y. nart„i/). 



the line of the old road wliicli once ran 
where the south gate of the premises of 
Mr. Barney stands, we come upon the 
house of Mr. Elijah L. I^ewis (3) built 
for his grandfather Elijah in 1790. the 
family living while it was building in an 
old house just west. Going southerly 
about thirtx' ri>ds, we lind on the corner 
next south of the North schoolhouse an 
old gambrel-roofed liuilding with the end 
towards the street. ;uid, in some far-ofif 
time, painted red. In 175J it was the 
property of Daniel Cin-tis (4) who, 
twenty years thereafter, .S(dd it to his 
son Gabriel, who, after another twenty 
years, found it necessary to pay Capt. 
Judah Woodruff for new windows anc' 
for twenty days' labor in making the old 
structure inhal)ital)le. Gabriel was a 
tanner and shoemaker, and in iSij sold 
out to Frederick .\ndrus of the same 
trade, removing to Burlington, Ver- 
mont. The old liouse now liecame the 



i:,M.M \ .1. WOI.'IS. 



northward, an old house once the home 
of Josiah Nortii, and soon after his 
death in 17S4, passing into the hands of 
Capt. Isaac Buck, who there lived and 
died at an advanced age. But we must 
not linger on the site of the numerous 
houses that once looked over tlie valley 
from this hill, only .'it the font we must 
stay a moment, tlimi.gii the little red 
house of Gov. Treadwell, just north of 
Poke brook and west of the big rock 
can only be remembered by the oldest 
of our people. Dr. Porter and Professor 
Denison Olmsted have both written 
worthy memorials of this ennnent pa- 
triot, scholar, an<l Christian, but any 
exhaustive account of his public services 
must be a history of the common school 
S"Stem of Connecticut, of the rise of 
foreign missions, and of much of the 
political history of the State in the days 
of the Revolution. 

Crossing the brook and walking on 




-V 



(7) \VM. h. IUHLIirUT'S mACKSMITil SilOl'. 



10 



FARMTXGTOX. CONNECTICUT, 




(S) i!i;siiii-;N('i: oi' w \i n iii i:i,ni ur 




..^•R- •.__;;: 



UI.SIIH.M I. ul » ILLI \M I. \l,l, \i.ill 




"i^'-z: 



(III) riii: 1.1. \i ■n;i:i: iw i\ i;i:voi.r-|'i(i\ \i;v ii\\s l^l;l••l' i'.\ riiiM:ii\s i.Kwis 
vr i'iii;si:\r in .1 it u\ .w. 



noisy abode of journeymen slioemakcrs 
pouniling leather under tlic direction of 
Mr. Andrus. thereafter kmuvn as Boss 
Andrus. He died in 1845. and tlie old 
house followed Ihe usual drear\ fortunes 
of a tenement hnuse until, in |S.S_', we 
lind it transfdrnied li\ the -.uhtlc magic 
I if a genial philanthropy, into the home 
■ if the Tunxis Lihrary (5). Entertain- 
ing hooks fill every nook and corner, 
and antique furniture ranged around the 
vast old-time lirepl.iee welcome readers 
young and nid to a free and healthful 
e)Uertainnient. 

The old hnuse next west, in 1752 the 
rcidcnee of Daniel Curtis, became there- 
after the iiome of his son Solomon until 
he died in the army in 1776. In i8jj, 
liis heirs sold it to Frederick Andrus 
(d). The brick hlacksniith shop (7) 
and the white house (8) adjoining were 
built soon after |8_>3 by Charles Frost. 
The land cm which the iii>use next west 
19) stands was successively owned by 
the families of Norton, Rew, Judd, 
North, Smitli, \\1iitiuore, and DeWolf. 

I do not know who l.)uilt the house. The 
Elm Tree Inn ( ml, where Phinehas 
Lewis once kepi a famous travern in 
revidutionary days, was built at various 
times. 

Just across Ihe line on wriat was once 
the garden of Col. Gay and of three 
generations of his descendants, stood the 
litile red shop (ill now removed tn 
the east side of the Waterville road ju-~l 
north lif Poke lirouk. In 1705, Gabriel 
Curtis pays Capl. Jud.ih Woodruff 
thirteen shillings for making lor il a 
show window of thirty-two sashes (>ou 
can count them to-day if you like) for 
ids son Lewis Curtis. Lewis advertises 
in the Cuiiiirrlii'iil Ciniiaiil under date 
of 1700. "that be --till continues to carry 
on the clock-making business, such .as 
chime clocks that play a number of 
different tnlle^ and clock-N th.at exhibit 
the moon's .l.^r. etc.. t.-tt.', A few -.lepS 
down ibe hill westward bring us to the 
house buih \i\ Col. Fisher (ia\ (ul in 
17(1(1 and 17(17, as appears b\ bis ledger 
.■iceoiinl wit'n C.apt. Woodruff. Col. G;iy 
died e.irly ill tlu- w.ir, and some .account 
of bis public srr\ices can be found in 

II P lohnsi, Ill's ■■\ale in ihe Kevoln 
tion." 

Crossing ihc W.ilerville rond. ue come 
to ihe house opposite the Catholic 
church, some parts of which are ver\ old 
the upper s|or\ of the fioni. however, 
liaMiig been built b\ the l.ile Capt, 
l'oniero\ Strong (i_j) soon after le- 
boughl Ihe place in l8o_'. There was. 
as carlv as 1(1)5. one more house to the 
west, .iiid llieii came the Norlli Meadow 
gate. 

Returning now to the main street, the 
highway committee in 1785 sold to Dea- 
con .Samuel Richards a sliiii oiii of ihe 
center of the highwav. -'0 leet wide. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 




^,*«J|*Si*^^'*^ 



■':^*- 



ni) 111 IT!).-.— THE CLOCK SHOP OF LEWIS CURTIS. 



12 



FARMIXGTOX. CnXXKCncU'r, 



wlivrr. ill till- >r.-ir fnll(i\vin,y, lie built 
llic lilllr sli(i|) (14) ill uhicli traflic has 
Iircii carniMl ttu siUTessi\'cl\' 1)\' hinist'lf, 
llor.irc .iihI Tinicithy Cnwlis, J.uik's K. 
(',iiii|i, William (lay, anil li\ liis sun. 
till' |irr--i'nl nwiu-r. t'nissinu llir Irnl- 
Iry trark. \vr i-ninr iipDn llir l^l (Hi wliiiri 
Daniel ('nrli> anil liis \ 1 iiini;cst sun. 
l''.lra/iT. Iiail in 17X?, as tlir ilrril rcaiK, 
"ninliially at;a'ei'il (<' Imilil a nrw house, 
anil lia\-e larye |>rn\ isii <\\ lor 
the same" ( 15 ). As ili.'y helil it niilil 
171)1. it is prohalile thai the ]ireseiit eili- 
liee was hiiilt li\' llieni. The next lionse 
sonlh. when- .Mr. Aimer Ihilwell h\eil 
many ye:irs. w.as liiiilt h\ I 'e.ieoii Sainnel 
Kiehanls in lynJ .as he reeoriN in his 
il.iirv ( Kil- 

I li.ave spoken at some leii.utli in in\- 
last ii.ap.T oT this ver\- worth)- man .ami 
of hi- honor.ihle ser\iee .all ihrouLih 
the re\olntioii;iry w.ir. Me was a I'uri- 
t.-iii of the I'nrit.aiis, of the slrietesl in- 
ti'i^rily. kiiiill) of heart, preeise in m.aii- 
iier, .ami wilh .a eomiteiianee .urave. not 
(o s.a\ solemn, .as liee.ami- a ileaeoii of 
the olilen time. Il is nl.ileil tli.at .1 small 
hov onee sent to liis slore. was so o\er 
pouereil li\ the ,uravil\ of his ileiiie.anor. 
lliiil insliMil of askin,;.; i'or .1 p.air of II 
.•iml I. hint's, he ilein.amled of the lior- 
rilie'l ile.aeon a pair of .arehan.i^els. lie 
u-.a- the first ]ios|in:isler of kai niiiii;lon. 
On ilie J-'il of ]iil>. 171)1). he aiKerlisi's 
ir. tile '. 'I'linr, li, ill C ' ,niy,inl : 

■■jnform.Hioii A post olliee is 
c-slahlisheil al leu iiine^loii h.r pnh 
lie .aeeoimnoil.iiioii Saniiiel Kieh 
.irds, I), I'. .Master." 

'riie post ol'liee was in the front hall of 
his house, .ami the li.ilf <lo/eii letters 
ih.il sometimes aeeninnlaleil were las- 
teiieil aij.ainsi the w.all h\ tapes erossins;- 
raeh oilier ill a iliamonil iiallern hive 
\ears later he reeonls in Ins ilair\. "Kepi 
the posl-oriiee. Ihe proeeeils of w'hioll 
were forlN iloll.irs. the one half of whieh 
I y.axc lo I lor.iee ( ow les for .assislint; 
i„e," "I he >ear afler he ohlaiiieil Ihis 
hua-.ali\e ofllee. inslra.l of la-eonliie^ as 
lierelof.iie the '■eoni imial 1011 of ilislress 
in iii\ lemporal eoiieiiiis." he i|e|ilores 
"my niiriaiikfnlness to (.oil lor his 
ureal j.;ooiliiess lo me. Me is now t r> - 
iiiii me h', |iros]i(aily." 

Immeiliatelv to the soiilh slamls a 
house (17) whieh. hefore il w.as nioileru- 
i/,,| \,\ llir l.ile .Mr. I.eonaril W'inship, 
I riiuemlier .as .an ohl reil. ilikapiilaleil 
stnielnre, huill h\ I know not whom. 
Duriiit; Ihe Kevohuion il was owiieil h> 
Xeheiniah Sir. el. who. as I lolil \ou al 
Ike opeiiiiie, of this lilirarv, w.as liiieil 
aloiiL; wilh in.an> of the \()Uii^ peojile 
of the village, heeatlse. heini; .assemhleil 
al his Iiouse. they refuseil lo disperse 
until afler nine o'eloek al nii^lil, Mr. 
Sireel was freipuiillv in similar Irouhle 
milil tlisgusleil with ruritan ways he 
converleil his yooils into money .ami 




11:;) Tilt: i'i.siii:i; i.\) iio\ii;sia: \ii 111 ii.'r in 171a;— i,ati:i; 1 siai \s i i.i 1; 1101 si' 
\:\ riit: ror\Ti!\ i i.in. .WD ni:s'ruii\ kd [w vwiv.. 





a;l 01 I 1; \s 



i.i II. 1 i\ i;.s... 



THE VILLAGE OE BEALTrFUL HOMES. 



13 






,£S»' ''-''■' ■■■' ■ ~ ' 






.,-:'M.' L..,..i..,;^,'.i^viii.-v_--^:*^ V' 



*i2s?a?r 



(i.'>) Tiih: TiioMi'sox i-r.Ari:. 



sought the freedom of the far West. 
Poor Nchemiah ! He soon found some- 
thing worse than Xew England justice. 
Having invested his money in a drove 
of cattle, he sold them at Niagara Falls 
for six hundred pounds and fell in with 
a certain James Gale of Goshen, N. Y.. 
who during" the war ciminianded a plun- 
dering party on Long Island. This 
treacherous companion followed him 
from Niagara, and w.-ilching liis op- 
pi)rlmiit\ while Mr. Street was bending 
o\'cr a spring of water by the roadside, 
struck him from behind with a toma- 
hawk, and all the Udiiblcs of Xehemiah 
were ended. 

The land to the south once belonged 
to Rev. Samuel Hooker and remained in 
the family for four generations. Here 
stands the hou.sc ( 18) where Major 
Hooker lived and died, and where, under 
a great elm tree in front, most genial 




ilooliW \\ \r I'iKlMI'SON I'l.MK. 




(Hi) BUILT HY nK.\C'OX SAMUEL 1!RIL\I!DS IN 17'J2— ItESIDEXUE 01^ FH.\XI\ IL SXE.VTII. 




(17) THE I,Im\m;(. \\l\^|i|r 11, \i 1. I,-|m|i|,\i I oK OK. .1. li. NEWTON. 



of story-tellers, he was wont to sit of 
a summer evening and entertain his 
youthful friends. On this locality lived 
his father, Roger, and his grandfather. 
John. The latter was an assistant, a 
judge of the Superior Court and a man 
of note in the colony. Deacon Edward 
Hooker states that John Hooker and the 
Rev. Sanniel Whitman were the only 
men in Imvn tli.il were saluted witli the 
title of Mr. Others were known as 
Goodman or GalTer. Mr. Whitman, tlie 
minister, he says, would always wait 
I in Ihe meeting-house steps for Mr. 
Ildciker to come up and enter the hi>itse 
uilh bini im Sabbath morning and >b,ire 
uilli him the respeclfnl salutation of the 
people. 

Passing over the site where once stuod 
the store of Samuel Smith, wc come to 
the brick building ( [9) erected in 1791 
by Retiben S. Norton for a store, and 
which has since been used for divers 



14 



FARMIXGTOX. COXXECTICUT, 




I 1^1 I'lii; M\,i(ii: ii(i()Ki:i; i>l\( i; imcsiihonc i: uy \vm. a. ki.\ii!\i,i,. 



]iiir|)osi-s — Nlnrc, t.iiliir's \\\ii]>. tuiuiiu-nl 
limiM', |)n-,i-iillici-. fliiirrli, yn i,n,<;i'r\-. ami 
iidu. iiiiii'li cnlarm'il, fi ir a savin.^s liaiik 
Winn- in\ iic.iisi- (Jill slaiiiN, (lirrr 
-'toiiil, inilil I rrmiiMiI it in iXjj. ilir 
vrr>- iild li.iiisc nf S.iImiik.ii Wliilniaii 
At till' iimtlii'axi i.-(ii'iiri- wa-^ a M|iiafr 
addiliiiii in wliicli Miss Nancy VVliitniaii 
liiTsiilril n\ir tlir |i( isl-dflicc. I reiiu'iii- 
Ikt callni.y mi the way fnnii schniil and 
scc-iny tlirniii^li tin- small di-li\ri\ uin- 
dnw a lin.nc- ditiin.y-talilr i-ii\ ltci! with 
nu'llii 'ditally-arran.m-d letters and |ia- 
IXTS, anil Miss Xancy, with s"l'l liimiK d 
spcctncles, lu-ndiiiH mer llu-m I'.y this 
liltK- wiiiili.w, .III a hi.nh slu-lf. 1. 1 he mil 
fll reaill It] liii--i'hirMHls hiiys, stiiiid a 
hin diniiir lull in call the jinst mistress, 
when necessary. Irnm re.uiniis rcmiite. 
SiimctillU's .an .idM-tilnnms y.mth, by 
climhiiii; nil the hack of .1 cniiirade. Mic- 
ceeded ill Kcttin.L; linhl nt the hi-ll. hut 
I never knew the s.ame hn\ to repi-al 
the offense. 'Ihe uc\l hnildin.ns .ire 
mmleni. so let ns hurry cm p.ast the driii; 
stnrel _'i ) hiiilt siiincwhere hetween iSi;; 
and iSiS In hdijah .and ( i.id (/nwles, and 
Iiast the hrick sclii.cilhnuse ( .'_> I nf .Miss 
i'lirter, huill h\ M.ajnr ('(iwles as a 
liotel tn accnmmiidali- the \ as| cmi 
course of ir.avelers .ahont to conn- to 
the village h\ Ihe l'ariiiiii,!.;toii canal. 
X'cNl comes a house ( J.5 ) huill h\ laiit 
Jti.l.ih W'l.odruff for 'Ihoinas ll.arl 
I looker in i~()H. .itid very soon iiassinj; 
with till- mill properly into the posses- 
sion o| the I )eiiiiiij;s. It wiis -aid dnr- 
iii.y Ihe d.iys of fu.ijilivo slave laws lo 
have hcen ;in imporl.int station on the 
underKroimd r.ailro.id. It is liesi known 
to most of us .as the residence of the 
late .Samuel ncmiu!.;, l'",s(|.. for nianv 
years a trial justice of the town, who 
fearlessly executed the l.aw, whether his 
barns were Inirned, or wli.alever hap- 
pened. We did not suffer from lli.it 



curve of -ociclx. .a la.\ .idnhnist r.ition of 
jiistii-i- Ihe house jie.\l north ( J4 I of 
the postHiflice. now owned li\' .\lr 
(- h.aitncey I )eiiiin,i;, is saiil h\ the liis- 
tori.in .if the "I I art I'.aniily " to li.i\e he- 
loii,L;ed to 1 )eacoii John 1 larl. -.m of 
L.ipt, John, ;niil if -o, must he .ihoiit 150 
years old. The kind w.is in the M.art 
f.iinily for live .yencr.'ilions. Xi-.ar the 
site of the post-.ifhce si. 10. 1 the house 
of .Ser.sjcanI John Mart, sou of hc.icoii 
.Stephen, the iminiyraiit. in which he 
Ullll llis f.llllily wia-e hlinie.l .HI til.- Ili,l.;ilt 
ol Satur.lay. I )eci-iiiher 15. Kilid. rv^]i[ 
li.r-oiis 111 .all. only one son, .ift.'rw.ir.i 
known a> Cijit. John, esc.ipeil, he lieiiiK 
aliMiit .11 their f.arm in X...1. now \\on 
hr.im this point soiithw.ir.l 1.. the i.ia.l 
down to the new ci-nich-ry. all the house's 
wer.' desti. lye.l h\ ill,' threat lire of 
July Jl. i.'-;(i4. iiiclu.lin.n the L.ii.l; \cI- 
l.iw house, just ii.irth ..f the |>resent 



l)arsonnge. which was the home of Rev. 
Timothy Pitkin during his sixty years' 
residence in our village. In my last 
p.-qier I spoke . d' him .is a (latri.it in the 
War of Independence. Of his high cliar- 
acter and fervid elorpience as pastor and 
preacher, we have the testimony of Dr. 
Porter in his "Half-Century Discourse." 
Professor Olmsted .says of him : "Do 
you not see him comin.g in ;it yonder 
<l."ir. h.ahited in his llowing hhie cloak, 
with his sn.iw-white wig and tri-cor- 
iiere.l hal . d' the olden time? D.i y.iu 
not see him wending his way through 
the aisle to the inilpit, bowing on either 
si.le wilii the ilignity and grace of the 
ohl n.ihiht\ .d" C. imieeticut ?" Immedi- 
ately south .d' the road to the new ceme- 
tery statuls tin- hrick house ( _',t I Iniilt 
h\ Dr. I'orler in iXilS, the year . d' his 
marriage. We need not linger in oiir 
hasty jirogress to spe.ak of the inanifol.l 
\irlues of ..lie t.i.i well kn.iwii t.. iis all. 
ami personally to ni.iiiy ..f us t.i ncdl 
any eulogies here. The iie.xt house ( X) 1 . 
n.uv the resi.lencc ..f .Mr. I'towc. was 
liiiill h\' the Kc\ Joseph Washlmrn .m a 
lot piirchaseil h\ him f..r that purpose 
ill '7'!'' Ibis healer of dissensions and 
much-Io\e<l pastor, after a settlement of 
eleven years, wdiile seeking a mild soutli- 
'■■rii .lini.itc in his failing licallh. die.l 
on til.' Miyage .111 Christmas day, 1.X05, 
anil x\.i-. buried at sea. A few years 
later his house became the hotnc of this 
lihrai\ unilcr the care of Deacon b'.lijah 
I'orl.-r The Large brick h..nse ( _'" ) on 
the t.ip .d' the hill, with its imposing 
R.puian lac.iile looking southward, was 
built hs lien Ceor.ge Covvles. The house 
oil tin- Corner (jiXl, long the residence 
ol Zeii.is Cowles. and now owned by 
l.ieiil ('omm.iniler Cowles of the V. S. 
.\'a\\. .if a style of architecture much 
superior t.i all houses of tlie village of 




MM I \l;\ll\., r.i\ ,s \\ jNc:.s H.WK. 



THE VIL.I,\GE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



15 




clnircli. consociation, bisho]). priest, or 
eartlily hicrarcb, bnt deriving their 
powers from tlie Word of God alone, 
as lliey understood it, declared them- 
selves to he the First Church of Christ 
in I'armington. Probably during the 
pastorale of Mr. Xewton there was no 
meeting-house. The Fast Day service 
of December, 1666, ws know w-as held 
at the house of Sergeant John Hart, two 
days before the fire, and there is a care- 
fully transmitted tradition that the serv- 
ices of the Salibatb were held on the 
. west side of the main street a little 
south of the Meadow Lane, and, there- 
fore, probably at the house owned by 
Mrs. Sarah Wilson, sister of Rev. Sam- 
uel Hooker, where now stands the house 
of T. H. and L. C. Root (30). We hear 
of no meeting-house until 167J, when the 
record called the Xew Book begins, the 
"ould book" having been worn out and 



I i;t;siiii;.\(.i; ot .it lils i;.\v. 



that time and perhaps of any time, is 
said to have been designed by an officer 
of Burgoyne's army sent here as a pris- 
oner of war. The house next north of 
it (29) was bought by the late Richard 
Cowles in 1810, and must have been built 
by its former owner and occupant. Coral 
Case, or b\- his father, John Case. 

But it is liigli time tli.it we crossed the 
street and commenced our return. Near- 
ly opposite the last-mentioned house 
stood the dwelling of the Rev. Samuel 
Hooker, second minister of Farmington, 
of whom I have formerly spoken. ( )n 
this site, and probably in the same house, 
lived Roger Newton, his brother-in-law 
and the .'ir^t pastor of this church. On 
the 13th of October, 1652, he stood up 
with six other Christian men, and they 
known in New England phraseology as 
the "Seven Pillars of the Church," seek- 
ing no authority from any intermediary 




(21) MISS S. .r. .MKiA I I. ^ 





(22) l)tl|[,T liV M.\.tOI! COWLES 

FOHMHIir,\' IINIOX IIOTKL 
NOW MIS.S I'OlCI'KirS SCIIOOIj. 



(2.;) TIIIO SAMUKL llKMIXC I'lACE 111 ll.T IN ITdS -HIOSIDHNCH OF MISS 
(;.\Tlli;iil.NK Ij. DIOMIN'U. 



16 



FARMINGTOX. CONXFXTICl 'I', 





IlliilllW \V -CHAITNHKY DKMIN'li l'l,Al.:E, 



121) T.ii; rA\[\-.:\ hkm.ni; I'I,\:'K KK-iiDKXt'H oy miss, kllkn m. I/KMIN'ij 




CJIi) MIU.T IN 17!Hi l)V l!i:\. .loslll'll U ASIIIIIHN ItlOSI l)i;\( i: or IIIAin II. M \S(1N'. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



17 



Inst, and with it all account of the erec- 
tion of the first house. In September, 
1675, Mr. Newton was dismissed from 
this church and went to Boston to take 
ship for England. What befel liim by 
the way is narrated by John Hull, miiu- 
master of Boston, he who coined the 
famous pine-tree shillings. After wait- 
ing on shipboard at Nantasket Roads 
six or eight days for a favorable wind 
the commissioners of the colonics and 
the Rev. John Norton sent for him, de- 
siring a conference before his departure. 
The captain of the vessel and his associ- 
ates, of a race always superstitious, 
thinking this divine another Jonah and 
the cause of their detention, hurried him 
on shore, and. the wind inimediatel\ 
turning fair, sailed on their way without 
him. He remained in Boston several 
weeks, preaching for Rev. John Norton 
on the 17th of October. .After this date, 




1 2 , ) 11,1, 



, ,11,,. I,.,.l IS COWLES PL.\1 I. 




INTERIOR .\T .I.\MES LEWIS COWLES PL.\CE— SHOW IN(. 

BEAUTIFUL ST.\I11W.\V. 



Lo\\Ell SEfTIOS OF .\ MOST 



shut him out from the busy world, when 
the political party of his active days had 
passed away, and new men who hated 
the names of Washington and Hamilton 
lillecl .ill the old familiar places in the 
town, tile State, and the nation, he is 
said to have sometimes longed for a 
judicious use of the thunderbolts of the 
.AImight\. Here. too. for much of his 
life lived his son Ebenezer Mix, univer- 
sally known as Captain Eb., who made 
voyages to China and brought back to 
the merchant princes of the town, ,tea, 
spices, silks, china tea-sets, marked with 
tiie names of wealthy purchasers, and all 
the luxuries of the Orient. 

Passing the house (32) adjoining the 
burying-ground on the north, the home 
of this library and of Deacon Elijah 
Porter until his marriage in 1812, we 
come to the house (3i) built by Mr. 
Asahel Wadsworth, and which was re- 



wc lose sight of him until his settlement 
in Milford on the 22d of August, 1660. 

Crossing the road formerly known as 
"the highway leading to the old mill 
place." and a century later as '"Hatter's 
Lane." we come to the house next 
south of the old cemetery (31). owned 
and probably built by John Mix. He 
was commonly known as Squire Mi.x, a 
graduate of Yale, an officer of the Rev- 
olution, ten years Judge of Probate, 
thirty-two years town clerk, and twenty- 
six years a rev)resentative to the ("irn- 
eral .\ssembly. He was, as I am Inld 
by those who knew- him well, tall in 
stature, dressed as a gentleman nf the 
time, with silver knee-buckles, funn.il 
in manner, of quick temper, punctilious, 
very hospitable, a good neighbor, a mem- 
ber of no church, and bound by no creed, 
and in politics a federalist. In his later 
days, when old age and total blindness 




ll.\-rEl;l01! .\T J.V.MES LEWIS ((l\VM-,S inM-K SIIOWINO II'I'KI! SErTlOX OF ST.MRCASE. 



FARMIXr.TnX. COXXECTICUT. 




llll y,l.\\.-~ (.iWl.l,, 11, \( I,. ol.l. (.\ll, l:l..M|il'.\i 'K (II'' COMM \N'lli:i; \V.\I. s. 

I iiw i.i'S, r. s \.. r.i.-di'iiioiMN i.\u oK ri;i;siiii;Ni' I'MiOdiioKE itonsExici/r. 




"""#. 


- ■ii-*"c.fi, 


'^4:^*^^ 




98^'-' 


1 


^'■"' 


■* 




». 



KIIIKW \\ \ I I \M 



\\ i- 1 n\\ 1,1 s I'l \i I 




i; A'n: \T ■■III. II i[v[-\: 



THE VII.I.AGK OF BEAtTTIFUL HOMES. 



19 




(,■>'.!) THE lilc IIAIill ('<nVLlvS PLACE— KESIUEN'C'I-: OF IIE.N'UY \V. JIAIII'J )rl: 




(30) RESIDENCE OF T. H. AND L. C. liOOT. 




CHINA miOl'CI 



MISS ( ATIIEHINK 



ported unfinished in 1781 wlien the Gen- 
eral Assembly, dissatisfied with its 
treatment by the inn-keepers of Hart- 
ford, proposed to finish their winter ses- 
sion elsewhere, and requested the select- 
men of Farmington to report what ac- 
commodation could be obtained here. 
The next house (34), from which the 
stage coach goes its daily rounds, was 
'■nee tlie residence of Mr. Asa Andrews, 
and after 1826, of his son-in-law, the late 
Deacon Simeon Hart. In the brick 
shop (35) next nortli, Mr. Andrews 
made japanned tin-ware. He was the 
-maker of those chandeliers, compounds 
of wood and tin, that long hung from 
the meeting-house cei'ing. Crossing the 
street formerly known as the Little 
Back Lane, we come to the house (36) 
built by Asa Andrews on land bought 
in 1804, and where Deacon Simeon Hart 
for many years kept his well-known 
school. About twenty rods south, on the 
east side of that street, we come to the 
gambrel-roofed house (37) built by Hon. 
Timothy Pitkin, LL.D., on a lot bought 
by him in 1788. He was a son of the 
Rev. Timothy Pitkin, a graduate of Yale, 
a lawyer by profession, live times speak- 
er of the Legislature, a member of Con- 
gress from 1806 to 1820, and the author 
of a "Political and Civil History of the 
United States." of great value as a book 
of reference. Next south is the gam- 
brel-roofed house (37a) formerly the 
Iiome of Capt. Selah Porter, and im- 
mediately beyond this once stood the 
house of Deacon Martin P.ull and of his 
father before him. 

Returning to the late residence of 
Deacon Simeon Hart, and crossing the 
now vacant lot where once flourished the 
famous inn of Amos Covvlcs, we reach 
the house (38) with Ionic columns built 
by the late Major Timothy Cowles. 
Channel ■ Jerome, in Ids "History of 
the American Clock Business," says un- 
der date of 1S15: 

"l moved to liu- town of [•"arming- 
ton and went to work 

for Capt. Selah Porter for twenty 
dollars per montli. We buill a house 
for ^lajor Timothy Cowles, wliich 
w-as then the best one in [■'arming- 
ton. " 

The meeting-liouse (3Q) next on our 
way need not detain us. lie wlm would 
attempt to add to the graphic and ex- 
haustive histor\ Mt President Porter 
would be presumplucius indeed. '1 he 
next house (40I of brick was built by 
Cad Cowles within the century, and 
ilie three-story house of Dr. Wheeler 
(41 1 on the corner, by Jonathan Cowles 
in 1799. 

Crossing the road up the mountain, 
we find on the corner the square house 
(42) with the pyramidal roof and the 
chimney in the center owned and oc- 
cupied by the Rev. Samuel Whitman 



20 



F.\P:MI\G-!-()X'. COW'FCTICUT. 



iluriiis lii> Miinisiiy. I'arts, if not llic 
wluilc, nf tlic buildiiiy arc imicli iildcr 
lli.in its ui-ll-prfM-r\ecl walls wmilil jn- 
(lioatc. rrailitinii sa\ s tlu- kitclicii was 
built nut nf tlK- rrmaiiis .if ih,' nlil 
meetiiig-liousc. and tin- \<v\. W'illiani 
S. Porter, wiin knew ni'nc ali<iul tin- 
liistory cif tin- tnuii than am- man wliu 
lias f\iT li\a-d or i^ likelv to li\r, says 
lliat till.' lioiisc. |>riilialil\ the frniil. was 
Iniilt li\ ClnlT I'rrrnian, a rolorid man 
of ronsiileralilr wi-alth. of coin'M' aftrr 
tin- (loath of Mr Whitman. 

Leaving llir main st la-rl anil asi-iiidin.L; 
thr hill lo tiiL- cast, wu conir at the di- 
\idint; li)K' het wcrn thr ^romids alinnl 
Miss F'ortL-r's Mdioolli.nisi- and llir laic 
residence of Kev '!', 1\ I'esxcnilni (4,?) 
to the site of the house of Col Xoadiah 
Hooker, known as the "( )lil Red (_'ol 
lege" diirint; the da\s when his son. 
Deacon h'duard, there htled Soutaeiai 
\onni; men forcidlege, Conmiamler I'.il- 
ward Hooker of the L'niled Slates Xavy 
sends me a jilan of the old house, whicli 
he of course well renieni1)ers. He says, 
"the part marked kitchen was Moored 
with smooth, flat mountain stones, and 
had a big door at the eastern end. .and 
originally at each end, and my f.ather 
used to say that wlien his father was a 
boy, they used to drive .1 \(ike of oxen 
with a sled load of wood into one iloor 
and up to the big fireplace, then unload 
the wood upon the fire and drive tlie 
team out of the other door." Of ibe 
building of the hoiiso on tiic corner (44) 
eastwaril. we have the most minute ac- 
cotmt from the time when in janu.ary. 
iSi I. Capl, l.nther .Se\nionr drew the 
plan to the J.Sth of -May. iSu. when 
Deacon Hooker took possession with 
his youthful bride. We e\ en know the 
long list of tliose who helped raisr the 
frame and id" those who came loo l.itr 
I'or the r.iising 1ml in time I'or the re- 
freshments. 




tail Tin: siHiHt; .\il\ i-L.vch- rKoii.irrv of mus, a. u. vorce. 



liul we mnsl hurry back to the m.ain 
street, lest with the rich materials at 
hand for ,111 account of this most inter- 
estin;.^ m.in, we detain you lieeond all 
iiro]ier bonnils. d'he ne.xt old house to 
the nortii (45), the home of Col. Alar- 
tin Cowles. w.as built and occu])ied by 
John Hurler in 1784. Opposite the S.iv- 
ings ISank. the south part of the long 
house oiH'e the residence of Reuben .S. 
.Xinlon, merchanl, was built b\ his 
grand f,ither, Ihomas .Smith. .Stii.. and 
Ihe north third. b\ Dciicon Ihom.is 



.Smith, son 
llousr (401, 



ihi- Latter. 
' the resideiic 



I be next 
of llor- 



;icc Cowles. b"si|.. was built by Samuel 



Smith, lirother of the Deacon, in 1769; 
.iiid is .a good specimen of the style of 
houses erected by Capt. Judah Woodrufif. 
I he next old house (47I. with the high 
luick basement, was built about 1797 
by ("'.i|it. Luther Seymour, cabinet-maker 
and house-builder. Many choice pieces 
of old fmiiiture in town, much prized 
by relic-hunters, were the work of his 
li.inil, but ,1 large part of his work, 
thickly slndded with brass nail heads, 
as \\,is the f.isliiou of the time, has 
hern fore\er hidden front sight under 
ihe sods of the old buryiilg-grouild. 
Capt. .Si'yniour w,is also librarian of one 
of the sever.d libraries which divided 




[■::-} till. I' 



11. 1 i.i^ I'l. \i I. i;i..-aiu. ,. I. 01 .y\ii .s. .1 \,M j„s 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



21 




(33) Till-; ASAIIKI. WADSWOliTH I'L.AC K - IHILT IX I T.Mi— 1;|.;,SIIJKNX B OF 
ADRIAN R. WADSWORTH. 




(34) THE DEACON SIMEON HART PLACE— RESIDENCE OF OFillli.l I Mill - 




1111, 1 AlIJUM.. lU.N SIAi.l. \\M. II r\i;>ii\^ liKUII; 



22 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




1 III i.l.lr \MlKl;\\S TIN ^'U>\ 




the literary patronage of the village. 
The next lirmse (48) on a slight eleva- 
tinn stamU on a lot bought in 17(19 by 
Jolm Thnm-iiii, tiiinl in ik-scent of that 
name, l■lln^|;ic•ntln■. abmu tmvn with his 
liatheni jaLkrt ;uii| his pnmnnnced 
lipiniipii un Ciiiuinental |i.i|H-r inimey. 
Here hved three generations of 
his ileseeiKhmts. Passing the house 
(-19) iiwned by Dr. ThnniMin. ami 
before liim b\ Mr. James K. Camp, 
and two other buildings. we 
come to a iiouse built or largely 
renewed in 1X08 by Nathaniel (Olm- 
sted, goldsmitli and eloekniaker. 
Here for twenty years were made the 
tall eloeks hearing liis name, whieli still 
correctly measure time with their solemn 
heat. He removed to Xew Haven tp 
be near his brother. Professor Denison 
Olmsted, and there died in 18(10. most 
genial and loveable of men. His fu- 
neral discourse was from the words. 







(;ao t'ouMi':i;i.\ 11 11 \i.i 1 n .^ ihk.i. ■ .1 i.i \< >, s -.1 \ii . 1 - ii <i. 1 

111 « 1:11 Mihollh -M.I.KN, 




"I'.ehnbi .111 Uraehle iniU-ed in wli.iiii is 
no guile." We will hall under the big 
elm tree, whieh overhangs llie little 
hnuse wluie .\l,min t'urlis -iniu his life, 
long enough to sa) thai his father. Syl- 
\anus Curlis. in eomp.iii\ with I'hiiiehas 
Lewis in 17(1-'. ihe \ear when.S\Kanus 
was niarrie.l, bronghl lioiiu- Iroin ;i 
swamp three elm trees, ( )ne was planted 
hack of llie b.lm Tree I nn, one in front 
..I" ihe lioH-e ol Mr ( uiii-. and ihe third 
(ailed to live llie bit; rhll tree is. 

therefore. i,i.( >ears old. On ilie corner 
e.-istw.ard sl.inds ilu- house ( 50 1 . much 
iiiipro\c'd of Lite, built in 1 780 and 1787 



^a7) lirii.r it\ iiii; iio\ riMorin rrrKi\. 1,1. n in l7s^ hksiiiknck oi-^ 
eii\iii,i;s c.MiuiNcTi.iN, .M.n. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



23 




t37a) CAl'T. SKLVII Iwulili iI.mI. lih^lliKMI, nl I'llll.ll' .1. UI:\|J^ 




(38) "BYDE A WIIYLK"— lU'II.T liV MA.IOR TIMOT.IY CIIW I.IOS - l;i;SI IlKNCK OK 
\VAI>nO K. CIIASIC. 



^ 








SIDE \ ii:\v 1)1 ■I'.'i hi; a « hi i.i. 




A-N IMEKIUU l.N -liYUE A NMn E 



24 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




i(ii:\ii.i:i,\ i.'KsiDKNci.; of hibkn s. xoirrox (Simv iciti iicwio. 




I III) 'riii: c; \ii I (i\\ i,|.-,s ri m i i 




(111 TIIK .lli\\lll\N COWI.ICS IM.ACK— m;|l,T IN' 17II1I UKSIDlCNCr. Ill' FIIANKI.IX 
WIIKFLKI!, A.M.. ^1,1). 



THE VILLAGE OE BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



25 



by Captain Judah Woodruff for Major 
Peter Curtiss, an officer in the Revolu- 
tionary War, who removed to Granby 
in 1790, and was the first keeper of the 
reconstructed Newgate prison, leaving 
it in 1796 in declinina; health and dying 
in 1797. Omitting the other houses on 
the west side of High street, for want 
of time and information, we come to 
the house lately owned by Selah West- 
cott (51), built by Major Samuel Dick- 
inson on a lot bought by him in 181 3. 
Major Dickinson was a house-builder, 
and when the Farmington canal was 




nil. i;i:\ . samikl whitman I'LA( i. I'Kchi.ima cji mh.s. i;iii;li:i r i^i.kp- 

RAZED JULY. HI0(5. 




liiiiiitil rii'""'Mi'il'il"iiiiAMiii'iiifii 1 1 

(43) THE I!KV. T. K. FESSENDEN PLAH: 



opened, he commanded the first packet 
boat which sailed southward from our 
wharves on the loth of November, 1828, 
on which a six-year-old boy, afterward a 
gallant U. S. naval officer in the late war, 
made his first voyage, sailing as far 
south as the old South Basin. He 
writes me: "Long live the memory of 
the old "James Hillhouse', and her jolly 
Captain Dickinson, who was not only 
a royal canal boat captain, but a 
famous builder, whose work still stands 
before you in the 'Old Red Bridge,' 
one of the best and most sub- 







i\ iloiii>i;ii PL.\CE— l;i..-,iiii.:.i 1. 01 Ai:imi; u 11,. .1 



26 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 

7 >7 -^ 




(4:.i I'lii: 1111, \i\;mi\ c (i\m.i:s ciaii; klsiukm i: tw ii, TUnwniMni.i: m.i.f.n. 



stantially built bridges of Connecticut." 
On the norllieast corner of the inter- 
section of High street with the road 
tn Xew Britain, long stood the house 
of Capt. Joseph Porter, one of the 
tliree houses on the east side of High 
street, with much projecting upper 
stories and conspicuous pendants, built 
about I/OO. This was moved some rods 
up the hill w'hcn Mr. Franklin Woodfonl 
built his new house, and was burned on 
the evening of January 15. 1886, So 
there remains but one of the three 
houses, the one bought by Rev. Samuel 




^J'».Wl^»--.-l^V.---^^ii 



1:1 sill! \( I 



m:i.i:,s n. i,i;i:. \iii\i;ii to iiii: iikaI! in lymi .wd to uk 

MICH 10XI,.\l!(:i;i) .\\l) HK.MTIfllCI). 




Whitman for his son, Elnathan, in i/,??. 
and is the same house sold by John 
.Si.inley. Sen., to Capt F.henezer Steel 
in 17JO. Descending to the low ground 
I'll ilu- nniili and rising .igain, we dime 
til the gambrel-roofed house where 
li\ei! I>r. ICli Todd from 1798 until his 
remnv.il to Hartford in l8l(). Of this 
emiiieiu man you will tind appreciative 
notices in the lun addresses of Presi- 
dent Porter and in the .irticle on the 
Connecticut Kelreat for the Insane by 
1 >r. Sle.inis in the Memorial llis- 
ti.ry 111 ll.irll.iril CnmiU lie will 



!,*•■) IIU. lloKMI. lOWI.K, I'l.UI. HI.^IHh.M I. ot .MItri. lAlllKUI.M; H. I.I! IS« 01,11. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



27 




(47) BUILT IN 17'.); BV (.Al'T. fAXMKIi SKVMOl 1{~1{|■:^;II)I•:X(■1■; Ol'' COTTMCIB l'l'l;l!SH[I 

AND .JOHN \V. TtUSSELL. 




(4- I 1 111, .lOHN TH0M1'SM\ 



i->f MAliTIN SOL(.iMl)N.SO.\ ANU MISS 

MA II IK .1. KAUlLIFP. 




(49) THE DH. THOMPSON PLACE— HKSI IlKNTK rtl-- HENliV A. BISHOP ANIl KI.VMN 

F. MLIiHIMAX. 



28 



FXRMINGTOX, CONNECTICUT, 




probably he longest remembered as the 
first superintendent of the Connecticut 
Retreat for the Insane in Hartford, 
where his s\stem of mininnun restraint 
and kind treatment opcneii a m-w era 
for suffering humanity. At the nortli- 
ern end of High street, facing the road 
to the river, we make our last stop at 
the liouse of Mrs. Barney (5.? I, built 
by Captain Jiidah W'DnihiilT ab.mt 1805 
for I-'hineli.is Lewis. I'.etwcen this 
house and the pl.ice from wliich we set 
out. there stands no bouse, ohl or new. 



i.-.iii I'm: ri;ii;K rimiss i'l.mm:- I'.iMi.'i' i7.si; iik.sipkxi 1; or .\lR.s. c. E. whitm.\s. 




i 



■k 



I ': I .v!" ,-!;■■'-,■ ' TRV, ^ 



^H' A 









(.)]) THK .Sl.l.\ll WE.SCOTT PL.U'E— BIUI.T l.sKi— I'UOI'I'.li l'\ Uh' KDWAIll) foUlilll'. 
\\n OCCt'PIKD .\S HOME FOR BTJN'l) ClIII/DRKN. 




to detain us longer. 1 b.inking xon for 
the patience with which \ciu h.ive en- 
dnnil nur Ioiil; walk through the village 
.streets. 1 .ini reminded that it is time 
we ii.nted ciinip.iny with the old worth- 
ies whom we have called up before us 
for the enlcn.iinment of an idle hour, 
rememhering ih.it in times gone by they 
were wiinl lo hale- before his lixccllency 
tile (lo\ernoi- such as lia\ iiig assembled 
themselves together, refused to dis- 
perse until after nine of the clock. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEALITIFUL HOMES. 



29 




K \lli.u liLi\<. i;i M: iiii.i.i h \o\\ i;i.-.iiii,\( I, 111 i-i;i.ii, Mil.KS. 




(n:i) Tin: i'iiim:iia.s li;\\ is place- biilt imij uksiuknc i: (if mi!S. s\uaii e. 

HARNEY AND MISS JULIA S. HHAN11K(.'F,E. 









^c. 








\ \ I lu\^ UEliE MADE. 



30 



FARMTXr.TOX, COXXFXTTCl'T, 



»m 


Alt (§& iCrtlpr. 


ss; 



^^■jT 1 1 ROUGH the courtesy of Airs. 
/ -d Louis A. Tourtellot of L'tica, 
B P I X. Y., we are enaliKil tn jiuIj- 
^^/^ lish a fac-simile copy nf a lel- 
ter written Dec. jS, IdOS, 1)\ 
I'resiileul Porter of ^'ale, to lur molhrr, 
Mrs lliram I'enio. furnierly Miss Ann 
II. I'itkin. scci>n<l (laii.!;liter of (he llon- 
oralile I iniothy I'itkin. President Por- 
ter's description of some of tin- import- 
ant citizens of Farniington nf li.df a 
century or more ago. is written in a very 
happy manner, and we are glad to he 
allowed to use it here. 

h'armington. Dec. _'X, iSoX. 
.M\ dear Mrs. Detiio. — 

The enclosed 1 send liy mail at the re- 
quest of Miss Mary Hillhouse, after hav- 
ing hrought it to Farniington .it her re- 
(piest (ii sliow to mother and the XiU'- 
tons 

I lake this opportunity tn thank m lU 
for .all >imr kindness t.. tlu' hnrde <<\ 
l)o\s thai \\^i:<\ P. lie .ill. .wed Ml.ll i\r, 
quarters in \our m.itlier's kitchen an.! 
sometimes in the snnn\' parl.ir, in 
which st.iiiil y.iur pi.m.i. I rememher 
p.nluiil.irl\ tli.it \ou pla\eil f.ir me 
i>n ..lie oi-easi.in .anii.n.g ..llier \\..iid.T- 
ful things ■'the battle ..f I'ra,i;iie" .\ly 
recollections of your f.inid\ are as 
Iresh ,is e\(r. of y.iur fallur in hi.s 
ollice. the light in which slioiii- as reg- 
ularly e\er\ e\eihng as llie lii.;lit of ihe 
sl.irs; of your mntlii'i's liiiiii.ir .am! 
cheeifulness and kinilmss h. llu- hoys; 
of \iinr sister .\l,'ir\ .unl M.nrself v\iiii 
sli..iii' d.iwii upon Us hki' ,ingi Is I'n.ni an 
upper splu-re .and wlii.m we w.re ...ii 
tent to .admire .in.l .Jul nd piesnin, p, 
criticise or judge; ..f \.iiii irrepn-ssjlle 
hrother William, uli.i w.is .ili.iul iiu 
age. the greatest ji.ker ami le.ise .nnl 
yel llu' greatest fa\.)rite ..f ,ill llie set; 
of limiilln al\\a\s gr.a\.' and l.nnmy 
..nee .a li.nndess ijiile li.i\. n.iw a grave 
D D .111.1 s.ili.l churehman who keeps 
the e.xtrenies in ..rd.i uilh lii'-di an I 
low .al (111- Iriiiim.il e. in\ enl i.m, I 
come lo h.u ininghin sever.al lim.s in 
the year .and ..f course alw.ays sia 
yoin- ..111 li.iiiie ni.aii\ limes and nc\er 
pass ii willioiit being impressed v\itli 
its emiiuiit iliuihty .and respectability 
It is just such .1 place ,as I sboid.l 
like lo live in. I would n.il .ibjcc! lo 



. I-^U-Ux^ CVC Wnly Inryl. ^ ^'■^ 



Ji/t.;L.^ y^ i'^ "-'^ H2- '^-"■Xi" 









] 



J /i-trv^^ ?TnVU .^jv^t-^ Ul i^'i^^ 

U<nu^ d,.^ (Zlt,- j*-*^- ^ ■£. 



-c I L<^\, i^i. ^p'- ^^ ■- '-■■■'-M <-'2' 



ill 



f-Ld^o; 



IV ii 



1,^ T.Jl dJ, /U. J.^i't i'"^^ 









1/t. hc^ ■^^l^ ' . 






F.\c si.Mii.t: coi'v Of ,\ i,tn"n:K i'kom i-iiicsiDtiNr i'oirrt:i! of VAi.t; 'I'd 

MRS. lllli.VM |iI:MO (\|:K .\N.\ ii. ITIKI.Ny 



THE VILLAGE OF Bl-.AUTIFUL IIOAfES. 



31 



Farmiiigtoii even altliougli death and 
decay lias wasted mncli of its anc'ent 
glory. 

Do you think it possible that life 
and the scenes of childhood and _wnfh 
are as bright and beautiful to the 
new generation, as the>- were in ;''e 
simple times and the cheerful davo of 
our childhood and youth ? 

I hope so for the sake of the genera- 
tion itself, but the whole structure of 
family and social life seems greatly al- 
tered since the days when Farmington 
was a self contained community, per- 



fectly a world of its own, with honor- 
able T. I^ilkin just returned from 
congress with tassels on his boot tops, 
and Edward Hooker with his Southern 
students, and Gov. Treadvvcll with his 
golrl he.iiled cane, and Esq. Mi.x town 
clerk, and Gen. Solomon Cowles, the 
pompous gentleman who likc-l to make 
speeches to the noisy boys, and (jen. 
George Cowles with his white norse 
for regimental musters, and Mr. fLart, 
teacher of the academy and all the 
Cowles with their saddle horses, ])ank 
stock and great suppers, line dinn.'.-s 



..,id hea\y silver plate. Farmington 
then had one mail a week and Deacon 
Richards was P. M. ! ! 

F'xcuse me fi>r running on at ihis 
rate. Surely 1 too must be getting old. 
I liope Mrs. Porter has told you about 
Miss Mary. I see her every few days, 
and she is as young as ever though she 
has sat at Gen. Washington's feet. Met 
heart is as warm and fervent and her 
piety as humble as that of a child. 
Please excuse all this and believe me 
most Irulv vours. 

N. Porter 









Framed and hanging in the village 
library rooms, is a very interesting 
document written by Noah Webster 
which is reproduced here in fac-simUc. 
It speaks for itself. To-day the aver- 
age "Coimectieut Girl" would consider 



herself perfectly capable of taking a 
trip around the world by herself. Not 
a thought would be given to so short a 
trip as one from Amherst to New Ha- 
ven. 









■^. 




J»^i3:,'^i 



V \uMi \', ro\ r\v\'\ vivMis .Maj. 



;■';■,.;/( ,IH ,•1,1 lllinl. 



32 



FARMIXGTOX, COXNECTICTIT. 



iFarmtugtou ^d|nolB. 



By E. N. S 





■nil: oi.h ( i:\ii;i; si ihhu. rin nd nv 

MISS ( I,AI;A I, III KI.I1I Kl 

0^f d X (»I.I' X\-u [■jinl.niil IdWiis, 

^B B sclindN ami cliiirche-- wort' es- 

Tl lalilisln-il at alioiit tin- ^anu' 

V ^^ liiiK-. and !*"arniiii,s4l( '11 was iin 

i-xcfptinii to tliat KoiK-ral rule. 

'I'lu- folldwins;, cnncerning "Schorilcs" 

frcini llic lift (lUfited "Cndc nf 1(1511." 

shows VL-ry |)laiiily the importaiue th.it 

was .att.ai-hed to the necessity' of a httle 

"laniii'ij.;" in tliose early days. 

"It hein.L; one cheife |iroject of that 
cdd dehlder. Satlian. to keejie men from 
the knowdedge of the ^rri|iliires. as in 
former limes. kee|iini; them in an im- 
kllowne tonyni'. so in these Latter limes, 
perswadni'.; them from the Use of 
tongues. SI, th.it at K-ast. the true sence 
anil meaning of the ori.yin.dl iiii,L;ht In-c 
clonded with f.dse ylossrs nf s.iiiit seem- 
in,L; ileeeixeis -. and thai le.irnni,^ niaj 
no| liee hnrieil in the i;rave of oiir fore- 



fathers, in ehureh and commonwealth 
the Lord assistiiiy our inde.ixors." 

"It Is therefore ordered l)\ this eonrtc 
and .iiithorit\' thereof, 'I h.it every 
toweiishipp within this jurissdiction. af- 
ter the Lord liath increased them to the 
ntimher of fifty iinwsholders, shall then 
fortlnvith appoiiite one within llieire 
towiie. to teach all such children, as 
shall resorte to him, to re.id and write, 
whose wages shall bee paid, either by 



the parent or masters of such children, 
or liy the iiihaliitants in .sjenerall, h\ way 
of supplyc, as the major parte, of those 
who order the prudentialls of the townc, 
shall appointe ; provided, th.it those who 
send theire children, bee not oppressed 
liy jiaying much more than the\ can 
have them taught for in other townes. 

".\nil it is further ordered. Thai 
where .my towne shall increase to the 
number of one iumdred families or 






,1 iva^StiS- "■>« 



^ k.^1 

I'm; 01,11 SI iiooi la iiium. i\ ■ w \ i i k\ 11. i i: insruii r 





•\ loM. IIMI, \ 



W \ I l,K\ I 1,1.1 HI- I l.'li ] 



bowsliolders. the\ shall sett uji .a gram- 
mar schoole, the masters thereof, being 
able to instruct \initbs, so farr as they 
iiia\ bee luted for ihe imi\ersii\, .and 
if an\ lowne neglect ihe |ierfi irmance 
hereof, .above one \eare. then e\er\ such 
town sli.ill |i.iy li\e pounds per annum 
to the next such schoole till tlie\ per- 
foiiiie such order. 

" riu- propositions cnueerning the 
meinlenance of the scbollars at Cam- 
bridge, made b\ the commissioners is 
conlirnied, 

",\nd it is ordered. I hat two men 
sb.ill bee appoiiUed in every towne with- 
in this jurissdiction. wlioe shall demand 
what ever\ l'aniil\e will gi\e. .iiid the 
same to bee g.itbered and brought into 
some riionie in March; and liiis to con- 
tinue yearel\, as it shall bee coiisiiU-ri'd 
b\ the commissioners." 

In the records in the town clerk's 
ullice are m.iny interesting notes con- 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



33 



cerning the early schools of the village. 
The accompanying, given with the 
(|naint orthography of the original, are 
interesting : 

"December 26. 1683. Yoatcd yt ye 
town would have a school & also yt ye 
town shall give tenn pounds for ye in- 
corredgement of ye same & also yt each 
man shall pay fouer shillings a child 
ye quartter yt it shall be sent." 

"December 28, 1685. The tonne votes 
and agrees to give thirty pounds for a 
man to teach schoole for one year pro- 
vided they can have a man so accom- 
plished as to teach cliildren to read and 
Wright and teach the grammer and also 
to step into the pulpet to be hclpfuU in 
time of exegenti. and this schoole to be 
a free schoole for this town." 

In 1655. Thomas Thompson of Farm- 
ington, dying left a will directing the 
education of his children. The Court 
in Hartford "finding many terms or 




AX 01.11 INl'ICmoK .\T "W.^TEIiVILLE.' 




V . ■ . ^- ^ife^St*'^^^^?^^- - "^^"^ ' 



.^.»-*«""' 



'•J03i 



, i;i \i. i\ XMi;' M i;ii 'I' 



expressions therein dark and intricate," 
decided that the proper education for 
the sons, was to so instruct them that 
they "shall have learning to write plain- 
ly and read distinctly in the Bible, and 
the daughters to read and sew sufficient- 
ly for the making of their ordinary- lin- 
en." It was customary to employ a fe- 
male teacher for the small children 
and girls during the summer months. 
In the winter, when the older boys at- 
tended, a "man teacher" was secured. 
Not only was an able teacher required, 
but an athletic one as well, for in those 
times the}' were firm believers that to 
"spare the rod" was "to spoil the child," 
and for many years the brute strength 
of the "master" accomplished fully as 
much as his ability as an instructor. It 
is said that Dr. Johnson remarked on 
one occasion "my master whipt me very 
well, Without that I should have done 




■^M^f^"^'' 



i,m. 






■UlM. M^'il 



^'.^ijj . 



IsiitlCT." 



34 






FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




l-.l II, dim: liSUn l!Y MR. F.hWAHIl L. IIAliT AS A 1!()\S' S( IKillN. A|-'ri;i!\VAIil)S 
('(JNVKUTF.n INTO A .STlDlil \Ml \(l\\ A I'AUT OF 'I'lIF KKSIIiKNcK 
OF MU. NoliKKT li HI; A\I)F(ii:i:. 



noiliiiiK ' Ml' 'i.iy says. ".Many years 
.i.tjii a ^cntk'inaii, llieii |iroininenl in llie 
pnlilic affairs of tin- tnwn, toltl im- llic 
cnsloin in tlic ilislrict sclionl nf hi^ hny- 
liniiif Winter ;iflcr winter tlic lioys 
had lurncil the master nut of doors mi- 
lil llie m1io(i1 had heeonu' a total failure 
I lie enininittee were at their \\it^ eiid- 
h'inally they he.ird of a \oung in,in in a 
distant town who Ihnusht that he e.aild 
leaeh the seliool, 'file eoiinnitlee 
thought otherwisi-. liut. a^ no mie else 
would nnilert.ike it, llie>- eii,'.;aL;ed liiin. 
'file \er> lir^t day ■.h..\\ed the lio\ s that 
a new ni.aiiner of lu.in li;id eoiue anionii 
Iheiu. and tlie\ went h'Une, liattered .ind 
hrui'-ed. and howliiit; to tluar parents 
for \ I'U.ne.aiiee, 'flieir f.alhers were ter- 
rilil\ enr.n;eil, and \owcil that the \'er\ 
next inornin;.; the\' w.uihl show that 
master that he eould not tre.it their hux, 
in that s..rt of waw When the sehonj 



hell jingled the next morning, every 
hoy was in his plaee. and everything 
went on in perfect order. .\n unusual 
stillness prevaded the room, hut it was 
a deathlike stillness that boded no good 
to the master. .\ fire of oak logs was 
lila/int; in the fireplace, and the master 
now .uid then, stirred it up with the big 
iron shii\el. wliich somehow he neg- 
lected to remove from the logs, and left 
it there with its long handle sticking out 
within easy reach of his desk. It was 
none too soon, for in a few minutes half 
a do/en burly men tramped into the 
room without any useless ceremony of 
knocking, and having briefly stated their 
business, made a rush for the school- 
master. I'r.iwing the bu.ge iron shove! 
blazing hot from the fire, he brought it 
down upon their luckless pates with all 
the power of his strong arm' The ac- 
tion was short and dcc/sive. In a few 




s iiodi, la ii.imm: \'I' ■•i:as'|' faum.s,-' 




--^"•-- -^^JliPiJ.^^' 



.V.sl I'AKM.s M 11(11, \l,-s MISS MM,"! I, M i h, I \ \ I A 'I't: \( 1 1 K K . 



moments all thai remained cd the in- 
truders. w,is a ver\ b.ul smell eif burnt 
woiileii ,iiiil singed hair. I'hc school 
tint \vinter w.as .a great success. Never 
Iiail the boys maile such progress in the 
'ihrce R.'s." hut when the committee 
emleavored to secure the master's ser- 
\ ices fin- the next winter, he declined. 
Me had proved his ability to teach 
school, and wandered awa\' to fresh 
lields of usefulness," 

In idXS it was voted "that they would 
lia\e .1 town house to keep school in. 
linill this \e.ir. of eig'.Ueen foot square. 
hisides the chinuie\ space, with a suit- 
able heiglil feir thai service, which house 
is to lie built by the town's charge." It 
is not delinitely known where this scho{>l 
was silu.ated. hut was probably near the 
church on land set apart for that pur- 
pose, riiis building was in use twenty- 
five years, and in 1717, the Ecclesiasti- 
C(d .Society took the matter in hand and 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



35 



voted to "erect a new schoolhouse with 
all convenient speed," "on ye meeting 
house green near where the old chest- 
nut tree stood." In 1747 records show 
that there was a school in the Cider 
Brook district for it was "granted to ye 
school dame yt kept school of the In- 
habitants att Sider Brook, ye same Sal- 
lery pr. week as they gave ye dames in 
the Town plat." In May. 1756, the so- 
ciety voted to sell "tlie school house in 
the church yard to the highest bidder." 
they having previously voted to erect 
two schools, one at the north end of 
the town, and one at the south end. 
During 1773 the town was divided into 
twelve school districts, and the inhabi- 
tants were empowered "to erect school 
houses in their respective districts, where 
and when they please." Since that 
time the schools have changed to meet 
the requirements of the town, until to- 
dav the "New Center School," an ideal 




OLD STONE Sl'llOOI. 



m'iLi)i\(; IN \m;si' uisTiacT 

ST. SIMON'S CHAPEL. 




SlIKHiL \V " i:sr IHSIKIi T 



ing is still used w-ith Miss Helen C. 
Bates instructing. 

The old "Waterville" sclmol liouse is 
no longer occupied, and is falling rapidly 
into decay. .All is quiet about the place, 
save for an occasional bird note, and 
the murmuring of the brook at the foot 
(if the hill. We are alile to show two 
interesting pictures made here years 
ago, when the neighboring woods rang 
with the voices of happy children at their 
play. 

The old brick "South School," though 
still full of happy children, is no long- 
er used for the purpose for which it 
was built, but is now the home of Reu- 
ben Lewis. 

Through the courtesy of Miss Clara 
L. Ilurlburt, we are able to present a 
picture of the old Center School. 

The school building in the north dis- 
trict still remains intact, and in good 



model of the 20th century school build- 
ing, accommodates all of the children 
of the borough up to the High School 
grade. The scholars above the grammar 
grade, attend the High School in Union- 
ville. their transportation expenses be- 
ing defrayed by the town, it being con- 
sidered a more desirable plan than main- 
taining a high school in Farmington 
The present schools are all prosperous 
and efficient. 

The "East Farms" district maintains 
its own school with Miss Mary E. Mc- 
Kinney as teacher. 

A modern building in the "West Dis- 
trict" has taken place of the picturesque 
old stone building so long in use. but 
now known as St. Simon's Chapel 
(where religious services are held on 
the Sabbath). Miss E. H. Watson is 
in charge. 

At "Scott's Swamp," the old red build- 









LUiLHHKN M Uisr IIISTKMCT— MISS E. II. \V.\TSON, TE.VCHKK. 



36 



!• AKMIXGTOK, COXXECTICl'T, 



repair. Init (luict reigns suiirome. where 
once childish voices liad full sway. An 
old-time photograph, showing the chil- 
dren pla\ini; "ring arouml a rosev." in 
lliat scliool yard, will donhtless recall 
happy rliildho..d d,c> ■- to nian\. 

rile i.lrl scjiiidl bnilding where Mr 
I'dw.ird 1., Ilart, ■>nce had a very popu- 
lar >cliM. il f, )!• Iin\s, was afterwards con- 
\erled into a studio, and later moved to 
lli.gh street, where in coniliination with 
another Imilding forms the residence of 
.\lr. Rohcrt I!, lir.indegee. tile artist. 

As .1 result of a vote of the (;ener,il 
As>einlil>' of 1717. a scliool fi)r the iii- 




scriooL m:iLniN(;, .soirni in.sTiin t— now 

liKSinENtt: OF liKI'BK.X LEWLS. 

.strnction of ln>haii eliildreii was estab- 
lished in I'".irnnngl,,n, ami under the 
dale of May .7. 17,54, ih^. K.-v, .Samuel 
Whitman wrote to Cov. T.iUott concern- 
ni.14 that school as foll,,ws: 

"May it ]ilease your Honour. I uii- 
'lerst.and that ye .Act of Assembly re- 
l.itniK lo ,r boarding out of Indi.in chil- 
''''^■" "' "I'l'T lo their being M-b.,,,k-d 
IS expire.l, ,nid li.iving ,-, Wk uioinents 
'" """" "i.\ llioiights on Ih.ii .allair, hope 
thai >e del.-cts in wli.at i^ lu-re brokenly 
olTered will br . iverl. lok.-d, | \y.,y^. ],.]. 
siirr ,,iil\ I,, infonu vour llon..ur (li.ai 
"'' t''^' "'">■ Indi.in 1,-hN tb.it were kejit 
■II sclK.ol l:„t winter. .? can re.id well 
111 a lestainenl. ,5 currently in a |i>alter 
■•Hid .^i are in iluir [.rimers. Testaments 
and psalters h,i\e been pro\ ided for 
Ihose ih.it read in llu-ni, ,5 ,,f ye lu- 
'lian lads are entered in writing and one 
hegius to write a legible hand, I ili,uik 
the .\ssembly on their behalf for their 
care of ym & past bounty to them and 
liray that that Act of Assembly be re- 
vived anil continued, not ;it all doubl- 
ing but ye pions care of ye government 
for ye educ.alion of ye Indi.ins is ]ileas- 
mg to he.aven, .and in,i\ be of adv.iiUage 
lo some of them so yt they may be saved 
hv coming lo the knowledge of the irnlh, 
I li.iinl lime lo enlarge bul niiiain vour 
llonoin's hmiilile and Obedieiit Servant, 
".Sam W'iiit.m.vn," 

The school f,,r boys, of I Ji-.i, .Simeon 
ll.irl, was kipl in tile building thai i^ 
.at prestul the re^idence of J. lir.adford 
•Aileii. Il was a noted instilulion in it,-, 
day, and in the new cemetery is a monu- 
ment erected in memory of Dca. ilart, 
hy over 1,000 of his former pniiils. 




S( o'l'T sw \MI' sriiooi. 




S(llol.\HS AT SldTT SWAMP MISS lll'l.f.N C. HATt:S. TKACllKli. 




.\i:\V CKN'TKK tjrllOOI. HI ll.DINC;. 



THE ^'^.l..\^^, of r.EAi'Tirrr. ttomes. 



37 



A school was kept by Deacon Edward 
Hooker, son of Noadiali Hooker, in a 
building near the present residence of 
Mrs. M. O. Heydock, where Southern 
students were given a prcparatorj- edu- 
cation, fitting them for college. It was 
known as the "Old Red College." 

When the Mendi Negroes were in 
Farmington they attended a school in 
an upper room of the building that is 
now the post office. 

In speaking of tlie schools of our vil- 
lage, it would seem Ijut proper to men- 
tion some of the text books in use in 




<.i;uji;s icKiirr am 



I I. i:\IKNT BlSll-N'KI.I.. 



■■ilk' 




(ai.\DES Sl.X .\.\ll SK\KN -MISS i;Li;rT.\ L.V\\UHN<'I-:. THACIIKU. 



days gone by. One of the very earliest 
of school books (if book it may be 
called) was the "Horn Book." n repro- 
duction of which is shown here. It 
was merely a leaf torn from some book, 
(usually from the Bible), and pasted 
upon a piece of board cut to a conveni- 
ent size, and protected by a thin trans- 
parent covering, some times of mica 
but generally of horn (hence its name, 
"horn book"). Perhaps Cowper's de- 
scription of a horn book would not be 
amiss. 

"Neatlj- secured from being soiled or 

torn 
Beneath a pane of their translucent 

horn, 
A book ( to please us at a tender age — 
'Tis called a book though but a single 

page,) 
Presents the prayer tlic Savior deigned 

to teach. 
Which children use and parsons, when 

they preach." 




1 SSSS s 







;i;.\in:s I'Oi.i; \ nh r i \ i. \i i>v \\ m 



, I Ht r. v\ I 1 .1.. I I. \< [ I 



38 



FARMIXGTON. CONNECTICUT. 



srsss 




CUADKS TWO AXn TMREK MISS I!EI,'-:.V Ki;\ 



Priihablx- tin- iimst noted of all the 
early liooks useil in the schriols {if I'"arni- 
ington. was the cilil "W-w luigland 
I'rimer." The aeeoni|iaii\ inj,' fae-simiUs 
of Minii.' of the page, of the eilition of 
177;, will (louhtless he of interest. 

I he painfully intereslintj ^ronp. >hou"- 
ing John Rogers among the burning 
faggots, with his wifi- .mil nnie or ten 
small ehildren. inehnhnu the onr .at the 
hreast. is a problem whieh ha-, iiuzz-led 
many a youngster's br.iin. 

We are fortun.itr in being .able to 
present tn nur re.ider^. an iN.iel Ir.in 
seripl of the lu'st alpb.-ibet publi^lu-il in 
ibis ciiunlry. This wilhout doiibl would 
pro\e Mr\ dull and mnnteri-.|ing to 
the -^ehool children of to-da\. but in 
the "days of long ago," it w.a-- in per- 
fect keeping with the religions icaehings 
of the times, and was dreadfully re.al 



anil earnest, and as has been so aptly 
s.iid. "the whole belongs to that de- 
|i,irtment of literature 'which he wdio 
runs m.ay read.' " 

i'\'W hooks have done more to give 
uniforniit\' to the ortohography of the lan- 
.guage. or to fill the memory of succes- 
sive generations, with wholesome truths, 
than Jl'cbstcr's .S'l^rlliiii; Buok. No one 
can forget the hrst introduction to the 
ch.iracters coinmencing with liltic a and 
ending with and per sc. 

()r the first lessons in combining let- 
ters, ba be hi bo bu by. 

I )r the pleasure in reaching words of 
two syll.ables. as ba-ker. bri-er. ci-der, 

( Ir the satisfaction of know^ing ones 
duty in those "Lessons of Easy Words," 
commencing 

"\'o man may put off the law of God." 

.■\nd later the advanced steps, both in 



length of words, and stubborn morality, 
in pursuit of 

"1 he wick-ed flee," 
and ending the spelling with 

Oni-pom-i)a-noo-suc 

-Mish-ie-li-mack-a-nack, 
or the practical definitions 

".\le, to be troubled." 

".Ale. a malt liquor." 

Did space permit, it would afford gen- 
uine pleasure to give repriiductions of 
all the illustrations and quaint fables 
so \i\id to all of those who ever used 
the book, but we must be content to 
ofTer one. uhieb is perhaps the most 
famous of them all. 
"Of the Boy WIio Stole the -Apples." 

To-day everything is different, modern 
methods of teaching, attractive and in- 
teresting text books in every study, 
comfortable, sanitary buildings, have 
completely changed the school of "ye 
olden time." until scarcely a vestiage 
remains. 

Th« child of the humblest citizen of 
b'armington to-day. has an opportunity 
for obtaining a better education, than it 
was possible for the child of a king to 
have received when the first school was 
established in the village. Miss Porter's 
school of world wide fame, is the sub- 
ject of a separate article. In a work 
like this, any subject must he at best, 
but briertx- treated ( Mr. Gay's paper on 
"Schools and Schoolmasters of Farm- 
ington in the Olden Time" is an en- 
joyable and valuable article upon this 
matter), but this may be emphatically 
stated, b'armington is, and has a right 
to be. proud of its schools, from their 
first establishment luitil the present mo- 
ment. 

*The data for this article was largely 
taken from .Mr. Gay's "Schools and 
Schoolmasters of Farmlngton in the 
Olden Time." 




i<iM)i:i!i:.\i!t'KN .\.Nii lUi.MiK o.Ni; MISS Di.sii: in.MiM;. •n:Aiiii;K. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL JIOMES, 



39 



^■^ EACOX Edward Hiioke-r writes 
t\ — I in his diar\ "Mih. 15, i8](). a 

Fll ■^'' ^^^^ ^'^'''' '■'cmiiiittee to 
^^^ tix spot for Society House." 
Before tlie following Decem- 
ber the present building was erected un- 
der the supervision of Maj. Sanuicl 
Dickinson, then the prominent builder 
of the town. 

The lower room fnst used as an .Aca<l- 
emy was opened on November 15 of 
that year, and made known to the out- 
side world by an advertisement in the 
Connecticut Courant of November 16. 
This school must have been well at- 
tended by the large and growing families 
in the village, and many scholars came 
from surrounding towns. Simeon Hart, 
who took charge of it in 1823, is spoke\i 
of with reverence by the few left who 
studied under him. 

Quite a handsome piece of printing 
is the catalogue of 1827, shoivving 51 
boys and 24 girls on the roll, also three 
assistant teachers, Leonard Welles ; Wil- 
liam Hannaford, lecturer on chemistry; 
Pliilip Strong, student-assistant. A year 
or two later, when Mr. Chauncey Rowe 
graduated from West District School 
into the Academy, Master Hart had as 
teacher of penmanship a political exile 
from Greece, Petros Mengous by name 
who, I am assured, wrote very hand- 
somely. 

Miss Sarah Porter went here with her 




ill 

I 



— .^-fell^S 



jWti jklni nop c| 

r 1 s Uj^'^x rz & a e i m u 1 
Aaf Df FCIU.lKLj^MDl'f- 
^STli V ',v '.: k' /, '1 

j 'a e J o \i ' a''e 1 11 11 

ilb ii?b ib oh uh babe Ki bo \i\\ 

c(c cc ie 01' 111' I CI re <■[ co en 

aiJ' I'll 111 .-.,1 III! .1.1 k >i; il(] ,iu 

lu.d.c N.nijc ul il^/H-di-r.^vtM^I .Im 
Si)U,;ui.lof llui UolJilLlofl. JniinS,^ . 
l/a Jollier, ■.vliidi .-'il ui' 
-Ht^'vcii, ;:,ill„v..'.-|. i„- iliy 
."NVmfe; thy luiii;i!oi,i -laic, Uiy 
,\\yj bX^iluiK uu I, Tlii, :s 11 IS ill 
'£teaten.\ ive iis iiji, ,|av onr 
clnDy BtAl'; .-ujil loirr,-. ;, oui 
Tiel'ijalJcsi^s we |. r;ivi' ihciii 
I'Ual lrefpnfs\-i'jrunli u; : AiiH 
iMrt us iiot iiiirA T":ii|,lniii.ii, but 
llf'Uvd- u,, £j-,iii; l-i-u, j„,.,. 



■§-? 




HOR.MBOOK OF THE KIGUTEEXTH CE.VTfRV. 



brothers. A scholar of the twenties re- 
calls a school exhibition where Giles 
Porter had to recite a humorous piece 
telling about the visit of the Crown 
Prince to the old woman making apple 
dumplings, and how. he could not lind 
the seams where she had )int the apples 



in : John Hooker declaimed Anthony's 
oration over Caesar's body, and follow^ 
ing after that was his own recitation full 
of green fields and skipping lambs 
which subject in midwinter gave the 
girls much cause for merriment. The 
pleasure of that occasion had spanned 
three tiuarters of a century and made '29 
seem but yesterday. 

Sometimes the exhibilioi.is took place 
in the church on a temporary platform. 
George D. Cowles once gave there a 
nuisket drill, and for a touch of realism 
in a dialogue or play, Bczaleel Rockwell 
town shoemaker, was seen there with 
bench and tools pegging away for a liv- 
ing. 

When the crowd which came to town- 
meeting was too big for the chapel room 
it adjourned to the church. Mr. Rowe 
then store-keeper, remembers being sum- 
moned, and seated with ink and pen in 
the square roomy pew of that time, to 
write votes for a favorite candidate 
whose chances seemed doubtful. The 
Grenadiers were also known to drill 
there on a rainy day, but I am getting 
across the street from the chapel. 

Mr. Julius Gay has given some ac- 
count of the Academy rooms fifty years 
ago in these words : 

"The present square tower with its 
bell stood as they now appear. Turn 
the main building around to the left 
90 degrees and join the center of what 
would then become the west side, to the 
tower, and you have the building as 
originally erected, the eaves of the main 
building and of the tower lieing of tiie 




The Honorable JOHN HANCOCK, Efq; 
Prefident of the American Congress. 

FROM TIIE M;\V KNGL.WI) I'lilMICK 1777 
EDITION. 




[R. JohnRooers, miniflerof the 
■ gofpel in London, was the firlt mar- 
tyr in Queen Mary's reign, and was 
burnt at Smithficld, Fcbmarij 1 1, 1554 — His 
wife 'with nine small children, ard one at 
her breast following him to the ftake , witli 
which foirowful fight ho was not in tlio 
leafi d.iunted, but with ivondcrful p.itience 
died eonrdgooully for the gofjiel o"" J e s n s 
Christ. 

KlioM TIIK .NKW ENOL.WI) I'UlMICIi— 1777 
EDITION. 



40 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





In Adam's Fall 
We finned all. 



1 1. '.urn 10 find, 
'I'he liiblo Mind. 



(-"hriU orucify'd 
lur tinners dyM. 



1 he Deluge ilrown'd 
The Eanb around. 



Elijah hij 
liy Ravens led. 



The judgment mode 
Felix alraid. 



As runs ihe Glass, 
Our Lite doth pass. 

My Book and Heart 
Must never part. 



J o B feds the Rod, — 
Vet blclTes GOD. 



Proud Korah's troop 
Was fwalUnved up 

Lot fled to Zoar^ 
Saw ticry Shower 
l)ii Sodom pour. 

AlosEs was he 
Who liracCs Hoft 
Led thro' the Sea. 



Q 





V o A H (lid view 

I lie old world & new 

Vouiig Ob A 01 A s, 
David, Jo. siAb 
Ail were pious. 

I' R T E R deny d 
His Lord and cry'd 



Queen E s i h e r (ues 
And laves ihe Jcu^s 



Young pious Ruth, 
Leli all lor Truth 



Younp S A M ' L dear 
The i.ord did lear 



Vouiii; T I M o T H V 
l.eanit fin to tly 



V A s r H 1 for Pride. 
U ji lei alide 



Whales in the Sud, 

(•'Oil's V'olee obey 
.V E il A E S illd die 

And fo luuft 1 



Whilo youth do thr\i 
Death may be iieiii 

7. ,\ C ( !l ELS lij 

Did fli;iib ihe 'Vree 
Our Lord lo lei 



\li'M\i;i;t \s fi i:i,isiii;ii i\ iiii: M.w i;\i;i,\Mi pi;iMi;ii. i.ihtiiin oi" irr;. 



OJt/ie Boy Ihdtjlolc Af>f>l,s. 




which foot! made the ynung Chap haftcn do 



AN old man found a rude boy upon 
one of his trees fteahng Apples, and dc- 
fircd him to come down; but the young 
Saucc-hox told him plainly he would 
not. Won't you > faid iJie old Man, 
then I will fetch you down ; fo he pulled 
up fome tufts of Grah. and threw at 
him ; but this only made the Voungltcr 
laugh, to think the old Man fliould pre- 
tend to beat hun down from the tree 
with grafs only. 

Well, well.faid the old Man. if nei- 
ther words nor grafs will do, 1 mud try 
what virtue there is in Stones; fo the 
old Man pelted him heartily with Hones; 
from the tree and beg the old Man's pardon. 



If good w„rds and jpmlc means will not reclaim the wicked, they mull be dealt with in a 
more (evcrc manner. 



KUOM WEHSTKirs SI'KI.MN'f; HOOK. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



41 




THE OT.n ArAni'MV. 



same height, and the whole structure 
presenting a much more harmonious a|v 
pearance. Yuu enter ami Imd ynursell 
in a square room painted a dingy red 
and on a week day you pass through the 
door into a dark little room with doors 
on all sides except the south, where 
hang the shawls and tippets and one 
thing or another of the school children, 
while on the shelves stand their dinner 
baskets. Are you one of those happy 
youths who did not know tlien. as now 
how jolly it all was? Then enter the 
door directly in front of the teacher's 
desk, salute the master according to the 
forms then and there required, and pass 
up the main aisle to the high and honor- 
able seats in the rear, or sit quietly 
down among the little folks in front 
as your years may require. If you are of 
an older growth and desire to get into tlie 
library room of a week day and have 
things all to yourself, which could not 
be at the regular Sunday evening meet- 
ings of the company, you will make 
known your wants to the schoolmaster, 
who will, if he thinks you trustworthy, 
reach down the big old iron key from a 
nai! back of his desk, and with this you 
will proceed through the dark room and 
recitation room leading from it, into the 
room in the south-east corner and lind 
all the literary treasures of half a cent- 
ury's accumulation within your reach 
In one corner stands, just as it stands 
now, the great closet with whose appear- 
ance you are familiar, but with a di- 
versity of hoarded treasure. Directly 
before you ranged the Edinburgh En- 
cyclopedia containing to the boy's notion, 
all the knowledge of the ages. On the 
shelves above in orderly array, stood 



the apparatus of the old Farmington 
.Xcademy. .-Xround the room ran book 
cases wliich had done service when the 
books well nigh Tilled Deacon Porter's 
kitchen. In the center was a huge table 
piled up with books in tlie most dis- 
orderly fashion. The roi.mi was for 
recitations, liut more often was used as 



a play-yround for t'ne children on rainy 
d;i_\s." 

In the trouliled years before the Civil 
War the Ilnmc Guards, sixty in number 
drilled in the lower rnom; with arms 
furnished by the state, and in soldier 
caps and scarlet flannel coats they made 
a line show on parade. Very few of 



ORDER OF THE EXERCISES 



EXHIBITION OF 



FAR]fII]\GTOIV ACADEMY, 



TUESDAY EVENING, 



^pril d'l, 1 §3d. 



42 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTTCUT. 



rxctClHEB TO COMMENCE PKBCUELV AI 1 O ILOkk. 



ORDEK OF EXERCISER 



Tt>e u>»J or 


themn, - - . . 


J D HuLt 


■ I'lvrcdi-e *et 


inslCear. - - ■ 


B. H Li* 


Eilrarl from Wvbslvr'i Speech un Ihi 




Tj..ff Qu, 


i-.l,on. . . - - 


C B. (tiorrtLD 


Belihsizir'i doom. .... 


P H<JI*.>D 


Colloquy. 


Travtlttr, 


J. E- Ci.«it.. 




Landhrd. 


J. BMinDEoii 


Sjiewl. of T.I 


ru9 Qumiliu* tu llie Ko- 


W Butxii. 


VVdUm. Tell 






7>;/. 


C B. Red»(lb 




GfUr. 


E. WuLun. 




Saruin. 






fl^. . - - - 


H. TU^DWILL. 


WcUlcr* S|>eeth al Ibe tiuUr Prescoll. 


J M WiLLIAMI. 


HunbiuiJBlilhc 






H«ni.. ■ - 


W fluAHltf. 




BiiM*. 


W CL4U.. 


EUTKt ftoDi ibo Ley of the lui Minstid. 


T C P.IIU.. 


SicQc from the Lady of the L»ke- 






F,U Jomt.. 


H. A- CovLtt. 




Rodtr^. . . 


J. D HoLi. 


Eoirtci from Webtler't Speech oa Uia 




Tir.ffQ-i-.l 


ion - 

i^ \(' SIMM 


U Poiiia. 

-i: (»!■■ \\ 



n 3<.'fni) rcDio ibe Ve>p»rsof Pilcrino. 

ProHda, . . . F. HfEBAB 
Jianlalba, ■ A If Li • 

1« Bilrmct from VVcbilcr j Spocrrh IL[ the 

Cal«brKtiODorWutiin|;tun'>birthilsy, W. Cliilk. 
• & RoDunlic Excunian. t 



Mr lau/ail, 
Mr BiiUrr. 



)J Hog 



} T V. P.Ti 



Sophomofe* ftoin College, 

FalllCTOrOtllDdu. W BklUKT 

A F.rmn, L T WouDM. 



Mr Mindi£ttl do 

;(**■ j Son. of Mr M.c.J«.ll 
Ou III'! malvridily oialel^p. 



G M PodTtH. 

U. A (-U.H.1 
II Aiiin^. 

R- WlKHEH 

W- Cl.<., 

J. M. WlLL.AHl 

n- The Power uf Medicint 

HaielKom, nn old gitnlli'iiioii, J M Willihui 

:SItm/y, wirdofMawlhuni. J H<uU.h 

Mtadly. kfnpndufSluiIy. C. U Piiiirtn. 

Mif.\: Otrard. a I'byaifikn, J D Uai-t. 

Tkonai, urvinl of Hawlbom. T. C. PiTan*. 

Morgan Q-Btarmy. an Irish Coblcr, L T WooDKurr 
le. Eitract from WcbMcr'* Specrb m lb* 

telcbritiun of Wuhinglon': birth day, J Hooseil. 



11.11 ri,-(M:l! \\1. M'l.'ll. 



tlic^r nun Ik-I|ic'(1 tci ni;iki- n|i tlu- tliirtx- 
tvvd who went tii tlu' war at tlu' lir^t 
call I if the President, lint t'he\' iliil help 
t'l tire tlu- martial spirit that sent more 
than I iiir i|nola of \ohiiiteers. 

When the Acaileiin elosecl the room 
was taken for general inililic use. anil 
the jiartitions were renioveil, leaving one 
large room, nsuall}' (lirt\' ami littered 
This was entirely unlike tlu- well-keiit 
and attractive room known to ns since 
tlu- Ladies' Benevolent Society trans- 



foniu-d it for their own use, and li\ 
their courtesy for the use of others. 

I he upper room of tlu- chapel was 
not ojieiu-d until Januar\ i. 1S17. Dea- 
con I looker wrote that day in his diary: 
"keinarkaliK tine weather. The new 
room lately built for tlu- use of the Ec- 
clesiastical Society was opened for even- 
ing worship the first time, and a sernum 
w.'is preached in it by Re\'. Mr, Porter 
About 450 people attended, .ind more 
conld not be accommodated," In those 



d.ivs the heart of the community cen- 
tered in the church, and the privilege of 
churcb-going w;is highly esteemed. 

Next to the church, this may be called 
our most historic buildin.g. The educa- 
tion and pleasures nf several past geiier- 
titious are closely connected with it, and 
we rejoice to hear that an honorable 
future yet awaits it. — M. 13. B. in /•aiin- 
ii:i;l:iii ^[tI;^•<l,■:illi^, March, looi. 



Xcoenb of Mill Marren'8 Ben. 



Tli.il Will Warren rci;.? iiiiirr Ituin a 

iiiylli. IS .</ji)7i')i by tlir I iillii7\.'iiti; frniii 

. /»(/i-<-re,(' llislory of .V(-;e Hrilaiii. 

"W ifi- of lonath.iii liriswold; ibis w.'is 
his second wife; her maiden name I'.x- 
pi-rieiice Warren, daughter of .■\hrabam. 
of Wetliersfield, and l'"xperience 
( Slephens) bis wife, born June i;th, 171 J, 
was the sister of Old Will W.irren who 
was the llrrmit, and li.id his den on 
R.-ittlesn.ike Mill, so often referred to 
evi-ii to this day. 

Will W.irren (or Moor Warren) ap- 
peared in I'.irmington, a dark Indian 
looking man coming fioin. iro one kiu'w 




H \i:i:];\s iii;\. 



THE VILLAGE OE BEAUTIFl'L HOMES. 



43 




THLII' SUA riisl |CIK\II,KL\ » 1 1 1 1'I'IXC' 
I'OST. 



where. That alone was .suspicious. Sonic 
whispered, "he is a retired pirate," and 
prejudice was still further excited when 
it was found that he did not attend the 
services of the church. For some mis- 
demeanor he was whipped at the wliip- 
ping post. It may be that he persisted 
in lishing with his Indian friends on the 
Sabbath. It is not very clear, but cer- 
tainly he was so angered by the punisli- 
ment that he attempted to set the vil- 
lage on tire. Already a house and a barn 
were ablaze, when Will Warren was dis- 
covered in the act. He barely escaped 
his pursuers and aided by the dark- 
ness he fled to the mountains. AH that 
night he hastened on, but as so often 
happens, he wandered in a great cir- 
cle, and the morning found him on the 
mountain ridge that overlooks Farm- 
ington. Below him he could see the 



people with their dogs already on his 
trail. Like a hunted animal be crept 
along the trap ledges until he perceived 
two Indian squaws, sitting in the sun 
sewing wampum. They knew him and 
he told them partly by words and part- 
1> by signs of his troubles. Their round 
black eyes blinked and the.\' said not a 
word. Tlien one stooped and takiii.n 
W ill W'.irren in her arms, carried him 
1(1 the low covered opening that leads 
into the cavern. Later the searchers 
arrived, a tired people with their dogs; 
but the Indian women blinked their 
Iil.u'k bead like eves, and knew nothing 



and said nothing. The dogs had lost 
their scent, and the chase was over. 

Years afterward a hunter looking 
from a rock saw Will Warren witii his 
Indian wife and two children playing 
in a natural yard among the rock;. 
.Xiitbing was ever done to disturb Will 
Warren, although he was said to have 
stolen sheep. His wife is buried near 
the cave, and the skeleton found inside 
the cavern is supposed to have been that 
of Will Warren. If one goes by the 
cavern late at night he may distinctly 
hear the bleating of the sheep among 
the hills. 




.*l^- 



^■?S'i'., 



SfPPOSlCD BURIAL PL.VCE OF WILL \VA1!HKN-S INDI.VX WIFE. 




lON'I'UANc 1. Ml W 11,1, \v \l: 



44 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




TIIH (:0NGRI:GATI0\.II. CIIURCH.-Ruilt /;;/ 



THF. VILLAGE OF RKAUTIFUL HOMES. 



45 



iEi}t (Eougr^gatioual (!ll|urrl| 




DATK n\ KorXDATION STONES. 

OX THE 13th of October, 165-'. 
Mr. Roger Xcwton, Stephen 
ILirt, Thomas Jiuld. John 
Bronson, John Cowles, Thom- 
as Thompson and Robert Por- 
ter, in simple Congregational fashion, 
organized themselves into the "First 
Church of Christ in Farmington." These 
men were afterward known as "the 
seven pillars of the church." Before the 
year closed they had added seven more 
to their number, and eight years later 
it is recorded, fifty-one had been ad 
mitted to tlie membership of the church. 
And should we follow tlie roll through 
the years, there would be found upon it 
the names of a large nunilier, wdio 
here and elsewhere, have won distinc- 
tion and honor, in attainment and in 
service. 

The original town of Farmington 
which remained undivided at the time 
the present church building was erected 
covered about two hundred and twenty- 
live square miles, extending from Sims- 
bury on the north, to Wallingford on 
the south, and from Wetberslield and 
Middletown on the east, to Harvvintnn 
and Waterbury on the west, and in- 
cluded what arc now Plainville, Siiuth- 
ington, Bristol, Burlington and .\von, 
and parts of West Hartford. New Brit- 
ain, Berlin, and Wolcott. 

During these two and a half centuries 
of the church life, up to the beginning 
of the present pastorate in 1905, there 
have been in all but twelve ministers, 
the average length of their ministrations 
being over twenty-one years. This li;;! 
is a notable one, beginning with Roger 
Xewton in 1652, who he.ided the little 
company of the seven original members, 
to Dr. Johnson, whose death in 1905, 
following just a week after that of his 



IV/ tUc Rr.V. (^UINCY [3LAI'>a Y* 

beloved wife, brought sudden and great 
sorrow to the community. Of these 
I'lastorates the most noteworthy, both 
in length of time and impress upon the 
lite of the community, is unquestionably 
that of Dr. Porter, who was born here, 
the great, great grandson of Robert 
Porter — one of the original members of 
the church — baptized in the church when 
an infant, received into membership at 
seventeen, ordained and installed its 
pastor at twenty-live, remaining as its 
pastor influential and beloved for sixty 
years, until his death in 1866. It was 
during his pastorate in 1818, that the 
Sunday School was established, which 
has since that time been one of the reg- 
ular and most important institutions of 
the church. In this period also, in 




/ 4 


r \ 


ss«= 


r~ 


1 


t 


( 


f^ 



14 I 



The conii)lele list of pastors is as fol- 
lows ; 

Roger Xewton, 1652-1657. 

Samuel Hooker, 1661-1697. 

Samuel Whitman, 1 706- 1751. 

Timothy Pitkin, 1752-1785. 

.Mien Olcott, 17S7-1791. 

Joseph Washburn, 1795-1805, 

Noah Porter, 1806-1866. 

Levi Leonard Paine, 1861-1S70. 

James F. Merriam, 1871-187.3. 

Edward A. Smith, 1874-1888. 

George L. Clark, 1888-1899. 

James Gibson Johnson, 1899-1905. 

Quincy Blakely, 1905-. 

Memorial tablets for four of these 
have already been placed in the church, 
viz,: Samuel Whitman, Timothy Pitkin. 
Noah Porter and Edward .-X. Smith.* 1 




jt^nHUHn 



7* 







W -i 




.\X OLD VIEW OF THE INTEIilOR. 



September, in 1810. nine men who had 
been appointed the June preceding, by 
the General .-Xssociation of Massa- 
chusetts, as members of the .\nierican 
Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
Missions, met at h'armington in Dr 
Porter's study and completed the or- 
ganization of this first foreign mission- 
ary society in America, which has given 
such splendid and continuous service 
ever since. The first president of the 
Board was the <listinguished Gov. 
Treadwell of this church. 



*Most of the data for this sketch is 
from the memorable annixersary address 
of President Porter, delivered Oct. 16, 
1872, at the KXJth anniversary of the 
deilicalion of the church. 

I. Lofy I'f the iiiscrif'tuiiis on the 
four incmoriol tablets thai luivc been 
placed ill the eluireh. 

In memory of 
Samuel Whilin;ui 

1 676- 1 75 1 
Third pastor of this 
church 1706-1751 
l''ellow of Vale 



46 



FARMINGTOX. CONNECTICUT. 



College 1 726- 1 75 1 
.'/ gciitlciiuiii 
of strong iniiiit 
mid sound jnd}i- 
nirnt. A Iruly 
U-aincd num. 



\n memory 
l7-'7 of the iiSiJ 

Revereiicd Timolhy Pitkin. M, 
Pastor of this ehitreh 
from I7SJ to 17S5. Moderator 
of the General .Association 
in 1784. Trustee of Dartnionth 
C(5llege from 1769 to 177 V 
Fellow of Vale College 
from 1777 to 1804. 



During his pastorate 
this house of God was huilt 

,S'( innniinirnhiui iiuiiriis 
( iri'ii nisf^iit'. 




MKMolilM, IM'.I.Kt |\ iioNoi! iiy I 
\o\ll I'oKll.li 

III memory of 
.N'oah Porter. I), I) 
h'or sixtv vear- the 
f.-iithfiil and h<-l,.vril 
l.iastor ol this rliuri li. 
Piorii in this to».n 
Dee. ->,?. 1781. 

Ordained pastor 
.\ov. 5. 1806. 

Died .Septemlier -'4. 1800, 
"Hcltold an Israelite ind,-rd in 
'\'liiiin tlii'rr is no "tiilr" Jciim 1 47 
■■//(■ Ih-in:^ dead, yrl sl^cakelh" lleh 



XI4 



III loving menmry of 
I'.duard .\lfrerl Smith 

i8,i5-i8o5 
P.astor of this ehureh 

1 874- 1 888. 



"The things that .ire not 
seen .are etern.il." 

*2-GLI.\RI)S .\T .MKirnXt;. // is 
ordered I'y this eourte. That there shall 
hee a guard of twenty men every sah- 
hath .and lecliire d,a\-. eompleate in theire 
armes. in each severall towne u|)on the 
river, .and at Seabrooke and ff.armington 
eight .1 pieee; each town nppou the se.i 
side, in this jnrissdietion. ten ; ;ind .is 
the numher of men increase in the 
towiies. theire guards are to increase; 
.\nd it is furthered ordered, that each 
man in the gu.ards afore said, sh.all hee 
allowed halfe .a pound of powder >eare- 
ly. by theire several towucs." — Code of 
l('5t>. 




I'.Mti.sii iioi .-.;, Lij.i 11, Ills iio.MiK 01 .ui.s.^ .s \K \!i roiiii-.ii. i;\ iii.i; to.iMia; fi I'llA 



The chureli lias had three meetin.u 
hiiu^es. Where the lirst was huilt is 
imt known, the "ould hook" which eoii- 
lained the record lieing worn out and 
lo'.t. I lu' earliest reference to it is in 
107J. when the new hook lirgins. Ii 
was e\iilentl\- .a \'ery rude structure and 
w.is used as a fort its well ,as a church 'J 
1 he s<'coiifl huildin,!.; was commeiiced 
in 1701). .and completed in 1714. It was 
lilt>' feel s(|uarc, .and furnished with ,1 
cupola i>r turret which according to 
Ir.idilioii was in llu- cenlcr, I low hard 
It wa'- to secure this hnilding cm h- 



inferred hy the length of time taken 
for its construction; and how much the 
prosperity of tlie town adv.anced in the 
iie.xt sixty years, cm lie seen in the 
contrast of this siii.ill. and. a- the rec- 
ords show, very poorly constructed 
liuildiiig with the lieantiful and splen- 
didly huilt cdilice. which .at that time 
succeeded ii. and uliich stands to the 
present da\. still lieantiful and strong 

This third ;ind present structure was he- 
giiii in 1771. as shown in the date so 
pl.iinlv marked tipon the foundation 

1 oiir, Ii was completed and the dedi- 




L,. .oiii^iim 



r 

I 



OXIi OK TIIIO .MOST I o.M.Mo.N ol t'Ali.MIXC- 

To.v .\\ti()i;ks— siii.vciiavs i^'ud.m tiik 
ciii'iicii isi:ii |-oi{ ()\ i;i! la.i yi;.\I!S. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



47 



cation exercises were held Xovember 
25tli of the following year. The two 
persons to whom the credit of its build- 
ing is most due, are Colonel Fisher Gay 
one of the leading merchants of the 
town, and Captain Judah Woodruff, 
who was the architect and master build- 
er : and who also built a number of the 
fine and substantial dweltins houses of 
the village, most of which still remain 
and in good condition. In building the 
church, no pains were spared to have 
the material of the best quality, and the 
work most thoroughly done. The de- 
sign of the building, probably made by 
Captain Woodruff, resembles in a gen- 
eral way, that of the Old South Church 
in Boston, as do man\- of the best 
New England cburcbes. The spire is 
its crow-ning glory, not only in its ex- 
ternal beauty, but in the quality of its 
construction. It was completed below 
and raised to its place on the tower, 
its top reaching a height nf 150 feet 
The impression wdiich it made upon the 
youthful Elihu Burritt, as described so 
happily by himself at the looth anniver- 
sary celebration, was as follows : — 

"I never shall forget the feeling of 
awe and admiration which the lirst 
sight of I'^armington pniduccd in ni> 
child's mind. -\fter the limgest walk 
I had ever made on m\ small bare feet 
we came suddenly upim the \iew of ibis 
glorious valley .md of the largest cilv 
I had ever conceived of. 1 was smit- 
ten with wonder. I dared not go anv 
further, though urged by m\ older 
brothers. I clambered up Sunset Rock 
and, sitting down on the etlge with mv 
feet over the side, looked off upon the 
scene with a feeling like tiiat of a man 
first coming in view of Rome and its 
St. Peter's. I had never before seen a 
church with a steeple, and measuring 
this above us with a cliilrl's eye it 
seemed to reach into the very heavens 
This steeple crowned all the wonders 
I saw. I sat and gazed at it until my 
brothers returned to me. .\nd this 
thought was uppermost in all that filled 
my mind. I remember it as if it were 
the thought of \-esterday. If 1 coul 1 
only stand where that brass rooster 
stood on the steeple, could I not look 
right into heaven and see what was 
going on there? Or if that were a 
live rooster, and should crow every 
morning, could not all the good F'arm- 
ington people who had gone to heaven 
hear him, and know by his voice that 
he was a Farmington rooster, and would 
they not all be glad to hear him crow, 
not only that they w-ere so happy, but 
because so many of their children were 
safely on the way to the same happiness 
In later years I learned that what to 
my youthful imagination appeared to 
be a rooster was in fact a crown, placed 
there in honor of the king under whose 
reign this house was erected, which was 
subsequently changed to a star, as it 
is at the present time. This was the 
honest, reverent thought of a child, at 
his first sight of this church. "*3 



ir 




•■THE OLD SI'tKK.' 



48 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




Till: r'\KMi\(;T(i\ nui m now i\ tiii: i;c 

sill [V.T\. A'l' II M.-'ll'ill,'IJ. ( (i\\ I Sl.li 

'I lie .-irran.yciiu lit n{ ilu' iiUrrior was 
in Ki-'iH'i';il till' saiiu- as at iircsent. The 
pulpit lifiiiR (ippiisite the west door with 
aisle exteiidiiiM li.i it. TlKre was also 
an aisle from llu- north to the soiilli doors 
so that the hod)' of the house was di- 
vided into fniir hloeks. eaeh eoiitainiiiH 
six pews, .and aloni; ilu' w.dl- on every 
side was .a ni« ni sipiare jiews. a pew 
in e.aeli eonier, and willi one or two 
hi-iielies ]iy the ih.rtli and -.mhiIi iln.iis 
Ihe pulpit u.is hiyli and h .laindahie, 
and ovi-rhan,yiii,n it wa^ .a lin.i^e souiiij 
in,H hoard, ' In ihe^e were line e.ir\- 
iii.ys of i\\ xines uriiuyiit with 

ids knife li\ ( ■apl.iin W IrniT, wlneh 

were imuli admired. I'.me.ilh llu' pul- 
pit was ,1 elii^et wliieli. .ne'irdinn tu 
leL;eiid, w.as resrr\eil li\ the "tythiiiK 
man," fni- miruly hlly^ In |X,^6. sixtv- 
live years later, e\|rnsi\a- .alterations 
were niaije Ihe old scpi.are pews wi-re 
,ill renii.\ed. also the lii,L;li pulpit .and 
w..nderfnl ^iiundin.L; h...ard. wliieh would 
he so prized .ano eherished now. if ihe 
\ar\inL; common t.asle ii.ad not at that 
lime, di-ereed llirir removal. .'stoves 
had heeii inlrodneed in iN_'|, |ireviou> 
to wliieh time, dnniiL; llie one hundred 
,iiid M-\eiil\ two \ears in wliieli the |ieo- 
ple li.id ,L;,illierei| for worship, in this 
and the two .-.ulier hnildin-js. llie onK 
|iro\ i-ioii for warmth li.id lieen the fool 
s|o\a-.. uhieh those who were .alih 
hroUi;hl vviih them, .and which ihe peopK- 
who came from .1 distance. IdU-d from 
the yeiierous Ines of tlh.se livin;,' near 
Ihe clinrch. In 1 7.5 1 .1 lull was jiurchased 
and in 1 7J,X ;, imvii clock, lieforc the 
Ij.II w.is procnii-d Ihe heat of drum 
ealh-d the ].eople p.-.-lher fr,r .Smida\- 
worshiii, and for other public meetiiiKs 



"'MS 01 I III. ( o\ ^1,1 IK ( r III.STOIMCM, 

loi: M w, \ |.: \iis AT 'nii: ( iiiik 11 

lhirin,L; all these ye.ars. especi.alh' since 
the iireseiit church hnililing li.is stood, 
with occasional peri, ids of iliminishcd 
interest .and enthusi.ism. much atten- 
tion has been given to the music of the 
church, with results which have con- 
tributed to the ple.tsure ,ind pri.Tit of 
tlie congre.uatioii and ha\e .iddeil much 
to the ministry id' wairsiiip. Ihit here as 
elsi-where we h,a\-e the s.ail. thouuli 



souK-wh,al humorous record of many dis- 
. ,y.-eements as to the conduct of the 
music, which have lessened the har- 
mony of the church, and injured its 
spirit. As Dr. Porter remarks in his 
anniversary address "the efforts to ef- 
fect a concord of sweet sounds have 
resulted in fierce discords between sensi- 
tive tempiTs and furnished fruitful occa- 
sion for temporary troubles." At one 
time a larfje committee was appointed 
"to compromise the difference among the 
singers." In 1774 it was "voted to sing 
at the close of the second service in the 
winter .IS well as in the summer. In 
1X0^^ there were eight choristers to di- 
rect the singing, with one leader. In 
iNiS t'ne Handel Societx' was organized 
w ith .1 large membership under the lead- 
ership of the eminent Dr. F.li Todd. 1 )r 
Todd was re]iiM-ted to In- .111 infidel at 
the time and rarely attended church, 
tliough he was an intimate friend of the 
p.astor anil the beloved physician of 
the community, and it was a matter of 
.great rejoicing when he consented to 
ciMiduct the singing of the church. He 
iliil not sing, hut led tlie choir witli a 
\iolin. the use of which was introduced 
,at this time. The bass-viol was soon 
added, also llute. clarionet and bassoon 
It was not until 1861 that an organ was 
|iiirch.ase<I b\ subscriptions from the 
ladies, and apiiropriations from the so- 
ciety. The cinirch building was used 
without further chan.ges until 1901. when 
the complete renovation was made, the 
result of which may he seen in the edi- 
hce as it now is. beautiful without and 




01.11 i!\,-;s \ 101. MMii; i\ i\i;Mi\i.ro\ 
-\Mi lou M\\\ 1 i:.\H.s I si:ii i\ Tin: riioiii. 



Till': \-ILLAGF. OF BRAUTIFl'L IIOMKS. 



49 





.lAMKS F. Mi;l!l!IA.\l. 
1871-1873. 




LEVI LEON.Uill I'AIN'E, 
1S61-1S70 



KinVAKD A. SMITH, 

1S74-I888. 




GEORGE L. TLAliK, 
18S8-lSa9. 





QUINC'V BLAKELY. 
I'.jor.-. 



, \li;S GIBSON JOIIXSOX, 
1890-1905. 



50 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




•A FOOT STIIX }•:.'■ F<1K \ dlilvVI' MWX \|-,\l:s Till': l)\l,V HKAN'S llF W \l:\ri'll IN TIIK 

(III k;ii 



within. The nlil -.ti)\L-^ were replaceil 
l)v a furnace, the ^ift of Mr. 1), X. 
Barney. I he new lulpit was given hy 
Miss Martha Day Prirler ancl )ier si--- 
ter. in mennpry of tlieir .L;ranclfatlirr, Mr 
F^cnler. And the Inie organ was gn en 
1)V Miss .\nna Jennings of New York 
in renienihrance of Miss Sarah I'orler. 
her helo\eil teacher. In looj, the fol- 
lowing vear. tlie heantifnl ami thorough- 
ly e(]uippc(l Parish lion>e. aNo in inein- 
or\ of Miss Porter, was "erected hy her 
)in|iils, m honor of her wise, unwearied 
and nohle endeavor to make real to 
them the Life h'teriial ',nid this is Life 
Eternal, that th<\ iiiighl know Thee the 
only true (iod, and Jesus Christ, whom 
Thou has sent.' " 



.\nd Ihix it iua\ he s.aid, expressed 
in nohle |ihrase, has Vneii the deep and 
controlling .aim of this church of Christ 
from the h. •ginning to the present day. 

*.^ Reference to the church spire — /•lunii 
" Ihirlfiird Mif^a.'.iuc." July. njoh. 

.Shaki-spe.ire speaks of "tile spire and 
lo|i of priise," The heiiitiful sjiire i>f 
the l'',irming,lon Cougreg.ilion.al Church 
for more lli.an a centur> has gr.icefully 
lielil its position at the top of praise 
among all church spires of its chaste 
sH le of hc.illlN It is grncrallv coiicedeil 
to he the d,iinliest ,111(1 most e\i|uisite 
lined church spire in rural America. 

StalcK chuiih edilices in t'ne cit\- 
c.\hihit in t(iwer and turret f,ir more of 



the grand and v,iried powers of art in 
church .irchitecture ; hut nothing ill city 
or count r\ can present a more perfect 
illustration of the impressive heauty and 
inspiration possible in a simple idea 
artistically developed and given to the 
world in its perfection, 

1 his much admired spire has not only 
turned thoughts upward during these 
many years, in which it has with sug- 
gestive grace pointed constantly "as 
with silent hnger to sky and stars," but 
in its refined heauty it has been a tran- 
(|uil power among the aesthetical in- 
llueiices of a community which holds 
it ill adniiration amounting to a tender 
reverence. It li,is held aloft a standard 
of symmetry and of perfection of work- 
manship that has been a social and edu- 
cational inspiration 

The steeple was huilt with the church 
in 1771. The (|uality of the material 
and workmanship put into the structur.' 
h\ the huilders w,is in keeping W'ith the 
spirit of those days whey the founda- 
tion of a staunch and abiding republic 
was being planned. .\n indication of 
tills is found in the fact that the shin- 
gles on tlie roof did faithful service for 
over a centur\ and a quarter, and it 
w,is oiil\ hve or si.\ years a.go that it 
w.is found necessary to replace them 
with new roof coverings. JJiis is 
•among the mmierous churches for which 
is claimed the one time attendance o 
( ieorgc Washington. Its beaut)' and it- 
newness would certainly have attracted 
the attention of a man of W.ishiiigton's 
tastes. 



-•^«i«w»"WiWlpW!l<W»P»WW««""PWP»''W^*«»S'«BiiWW'WPW« 




oi I I. \i;io\, 1 ,si. IN c;ii ceil ( inui;. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIKL'L HOMES. 



51 




0^mf RADITION tells us. or was it 
/ -A some learned man wiio knew 
Mil just what was taking place 
^^^ I'ere long before the evohition 
of man on our planet, that 
our river did not always follow its pres- 
ent tortuous course, northward, Init 
flowed from a great lake southward 
where now flows the sluggish current of 
the Quinnipiac. Our ancestors found it 
pursuing its present way and named 
by the aborigines "Tunxis Sepus," or the 




ENTliANl I. li 



crooked river. Crossed bv no liridgi-. 
and impeded by no dams, it abounded 
with lisii. Shad were so plentiful thai 
the early settlers despised so common 
an article of food, and humbly apolo- 
gized if it was discovered on their tables. 
The first dam which interfered with 
the ascent of fish was that wliich turned 
the wheels of the corn-mill of Capl 
Thomas llart, and which wc hear nl 
in 1701, as lying not far from the In- 
dian Neck. When built we know not. 
It is only by the record of the legal 
complications which befell an Indian, 
Wenenio, who had stolen "a .good fire- 
lock giui," that even this early d;ite was 
preserved. In 1707 the dam w.is com- 
plained of as a nuisance by those whci 
travelled over the Litchfield road. 
Tliirtccn years afterward the town a|)- 
I'ied to the General .Assembly for a 
lottery to raise nirmev t" build a cause- 
way at "I'.ight) -\cres" higli enough to 
])e lUU of reach of the water set back 
by the dam. 

h'cir many years the inlialnl.inls "f 
the valley crossed the river ill li.nls 
going down In 't through tlie north 
meadow gate, and along the then broad 
highway on which was subsequently 



linilt the present Catholic church edihce 
.\ ferry was established at this iioiiil In 
the town in 7706, which voted that the.\ 
■would be at the charge of providing 
and keeping in repair a canoe with ropes 
comenient for passing and repassing the 
river at the landing place." This place 
was long afterwards known as "'l he 
Canoe Place." The ferry, however, h.id 
its disadvantages, and in 17JJ we read 
that "the Society granted to Samuel 
Thompson, son of John, tor tlu- charge 
he hat-i been at in recoyciiig the canoe 
th.at was driven down to Simsburv, live 
shillings." Instead of the fra.gile ropes 
a chain was stretched across the river 
to guide the canoe. Six \ears after- 
ward, the town had either liuill a bridge 
or was tired of the ferry and the Eccle- 
siastical Society voted "to sell the boat 
that al present lies useless * * * the 
chain to he taken care of by the Society 
Treasurer." In 1767 we read of the 
■■Great Bridge." at this pniiit In 17)S 
the town votes to build a ■■bridge mar 
the north meadow gate, which is to be 
r,f the same constrnetion as the present 
bridge." and in iSo.l they volrd to sell 
Ihe woodwork of the old North Ihidgv 
In 1830 they voted the building of the 
present covered bridge which was ac- 
complished the next year. The remains 



of the east abutments of the first two 
bridges may still be seen several huiidrcil 
feet lower down the river, the erection 
of wdiich caused a whirlpool very fa- 
mous in its day. and dangerous to the 
unwary swimmer. 

During a brief period after the Rev 
ohuionary war, wdiile for one, or at 
most two generations, the nurch,iiU 
princes of Farniington retained their 
wealth, the river bank just below the 
bend was covered with boat houses and 
pleasure-grounds, and a path led down 
lo iluin through a douhle liiu' of Lntn 
hardy poplars from the newly built 
house of Gen. George Cowles. These 
disappeared long ago, and the mill and 
bridges are the only' structures on ihe 
line of the river which have changed 
its appearance since the Indian paddled 
his c.-uioe over its surface, or fished 
along its bank, or buried his de.id in 
the hill side which still looks down on 
the most beautiful bend of the ri\cr 

Ihe freshets which every spring cover 
our broa<l meadows for miles, suggestive 
of the prehistoric lake, preclude any 
building along its banks. So does Na- 
ture kindly protect her own from the 

imi-rovements and intermeddling of in- 
genious man. 

lullus Ciiy. in the farmington Ma'^ii- 
siii c. 




■I'liK 01. II i;i:ii I'.iviiKiK, 



52 



ARMIXGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



Qiauuniii OSlrn. 



^^S vol" pass al.,n.u llir l.,wrr 

, ^\i r. 1.1(1, sii calk-il. Iradiiii; fr.Dii 

Alain StrL-ct to l'".ast Mniintaiii. 

y<u iliscDVcr mi the lii,L:li .tjrniinil 

iif tin- iiortli sidf indications nf 

there having once heen a IniildiiiK tiiere. 

as iiortinns of a well curl) and a filled 

n|) well were lately to he seen. There 

in ;incieiit <la.\ s one Morehe.id carried 

on \'.\c hiisiiu-ss of dyeiiiK xarii and li.ad 

.•I li.ind loDiii in wliirli lie wove a eo.arse 

liiiiai f.ihric called I linn I Itini. usnl 

liriiicipally for towels and cle.iiiiiit; 

dishes. The legend is thai .Morehead 

possessed an irascihle temper, .ind once 

settled a dispute hy dashin.y ,i c|iiantit\ 

of dye stuff upon the iiersmi nf .Mrs. 

Morehead. Hence originated the old 

time conundrum : 





lll.\MO,\t) CILEN. 



Nt: m; 'I'lit: r.iiiDi.i. i.. 



" I here was ,1 111,-1,1, i;,,. I,,;,,, \^,,,, Innii.in, 
l-i\ 'd .1 111,111. hill dyed ,-i vxi 1111,111 " 

-Many ;i school 1).,\ t.i\ed his hi-,iiii p, 
render a correct s(,hili..n p, ih,. pr,,li- 
leiii. \,>w lake the sniiHi si,},. „|, ^h^. 
I'ill and gd :, view ol' |)i,niinn.l ( d,-n. 
so iiaiiied in the pupils ,pf .\liss I'l.rler's 
""-■'"'ol I lie clee]i ra\iiie li.as ;i siiciiii 

ol water wliicli once w.is carried hy a 
flume and discharged inP) the hncke'.s 
of an overshof mill wheel carrying the 
ni;icliiiier> for grinding cmii h,ir 

man\ \c.irs ilu- mill hiiilding v\:is also 
used for in.ihiiig gin. Ihc hrook 11. iw 
takes the overflow of water from ilu- 
reservoir which eovi'rs several acres .and 
from which the h>(Iranls .mil many 
hoiisese and h.inis ,ire siip|ilied, giving 
hetter prolection from fire th.iii ever 
hefore, Ihc old |,„,in and dyi' house 
with the mill opp.isite p.asseil .away long 
lime ago, hul the enchanling view from 
that eastern slope will rcin.iin inilil 
these eternal hilN remove, .and suns ,iiid 
Stars revolve no more, 

C. Kowi-;. 




ON ■(■hi: t\H.MIN(;fO\ lll\ Kli. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAIttIFUL HOMES. 



53 




TUNXrS SEPUS. 




THE MILL. 



54 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICTIT. 




Zbc Mater Xillics. 



■Bv K li. 



0|| I' i'i<Hii,L; ;il .■iiu-li(ir llii- lilies lay 
^^ \slci|i 111. lluir roiiijil ,^;rccii loa\'es, 

Anil npiilrs c'l uiiiil on ilu' uat<Ts 
play 

Anil Xalnn liaiill\ bia-.illu-s. 



1 lu' pirkrn-l si-fs llu'in I'nuii ln-lou. 
As we set- tlic sainl^ in air 
(Ircanis. 
Anil wunikrs lu m-c iheir tall 
fcirms ,i,'n)vv 
To a region IkmhhI llie streams. 




THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



55 



Zbc m^tb of the 36cn^/ 



^ 



Till' PRELUDE. 

^ j^ HE melon was full aiul not a 
^J bret'/'L- stirred the branches of 
^^ the forest. .\ solitary wolf was 

calling far away, t:ie night was 
full of the sweetness of June 
blossoms. The yoimg Indian girl was 
talking very earnestly with her lover. 
"I fear. I am so fearful. Last night 
the great owl cried for an hour near the 
lodges, and you know that means death. 
I am afraid. Perhaps you had better 




Tin: ni.\i 



Mil AN \l.i K 



come no more." said she. "Be not 
afraid," said the Indian, "many times 
have I crossed the river, I am not 
afraid, no harm will come to us. Did 
you think a little river like this could 
keep me from you?" "Oh. but the 
river," said the Indian girl, "it is the 
river of death. I hate it. Do you 
remember the fate of Red Wolf who 
swam the river for the wounded deer? 
Oh, I tremble still,— the stake, the 
tortures with fire. Aly heart tells me 
that you w-ill suffer the same fate. 
Leave me. Leave me. What was 
that?" "Twas a wolf or bear." He 
draws his bow and sends an arrow into 
the gloom. There is a scream of pain, 
the hollow is alive with dark forms ; 
there is a fierce fight and the young 
Indian is captured. 

THE MYTH. 

I'.y the side nf the river knelt tlie 
Indian girl ; the great unbroken forest 
murmured behind her, before her lay 
the river like a sheet of silver. She 
prayed to the Great Spirit, Gitche Man- 
itou, she prayed fnr the life i.if the one 



who had crosse<l the river and nmst 
sulTer death. "If there is need of a 
life let me die. Oh Gitche Manitou," 
said the maiden. She paused for a 
repi)-, but there was no reply, only the 
sound of the night-birds and the river 
fiovving southward among its reeds, 
.^gain she prayed earnestly tn the Great 
Spirit and again there was no reply, only 
the far distant cry of some animal in 
the mountain. Suddenly the river was 
lit from side to si<le with a pale and 
then a lirighter light, and there was 
Gitche Manitou, the Great Siiirit. 

"What wouldst thou have of me little 
one?" s.iiil the Great Spirit. "I 
would have him live who must die 
to-morrow." "And thy father?" said 
the Great Spirit. "He has said as 
sureh- as the river flows between our 
two nations, so surely will he keep the 
treatv. and the young warrior must 
die. But thou who knowest every- 
thing and can do anything, let me die 
but let him live." A smile of great 
tenderness came over the face of Gitche 
Manitou., He reached dow-nward and 
traced with his forefinguer along the 
groimd, and the river followed his 
finger as the hounds follow after the 
game. The river danced with ex- 
citement to follow a new- channel. 
.\nd they came to the high mountains 
and the river said, "Now we must re- 
turn for we can go no further." But 
the Great Spirit drew his finger across 
the mountain and it crumbled like an 
egg shell. And when the morning 
awoke, lo I the ri\er was gone. 

R. B. 

"xTT K.\I)ITIOX tells us that our 
^J l''armingl()n River did not al- 
•^ ways flow in its present tor- 

tuous course northward but 
flowed from a great lake south- 
ward." — Essay on the Ttinxis Scj^tis 
(Farmiiigton Rivcv) by Mr. .hiliiis day. 
"There used to be one nation lived 
one side and one tlu- cither siile nf the 
Farmington River, an<l if either tribe 
crossed this river boundary and got 
■ketched' he .got killed."— Fni;;i ronrcr- 
siit'hnis mid rccollectiiiiis nf Mr. I.uiiiis 
Ihiriiuiu. 



56 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




MiUdu I'oix'is, \i,i, 1(11 \i) \r •■i\iii\\ NKi'K" (IN ■nil: sirrosim sm: <n' Tin: 
ii\'iii,i: iiiri'w i:i,\ iiii-. ■ ri wis" wu -simk k itiiinci:' inihws. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



57 



®lp SuKts JuiitauB. 



BY lULIUS GA^' 




^^Hf^llI'. Tunxis liuliaiis, who once 
i "^ occupied the broad meadows 
^ B 1. and forests surrounding our 
^(l^r village, hrst came within the 
range of our ancestors' knowl- 
edge about the year 1640. Already in 
January, 1639, the inhabitants of the 
three river towns, in the westward 
march of empire, before they were 
hardly settled on the Connecticut, moved 
the court for some enlargement of their 
accommodations. A committee was 
therefore appointed to "view those parts 
by Vnxus Sepus which may be suitable 
f(jr those purposes and make report of 
their doings to the court which is ad- 
journed for that end to the 20th of 
February at 10 of the clock in the 
morning." The depth of a New Eng- 
land winter did not prove an attractive 
time for exploring an unknown forest 
buried beneath the snow, and when the 
court was duly opened it was informed 
that "our neighbors of Wetherstield, in 
regard the weather hath not hitherto 
suited for the viewing of Vnxus Sepus, 

. . . intimated their willingness to 
defer the issue of the business," In De- 
cember, 1645, the court "ordered that 
the Plantation called Tunxis shall be 
called Farmington." .So in the year 
1645 the settlement had been made long 
enough to be called a plantation, and 
two years earlier, in 1643. Stephen Hart 
had recorded the purchase of land on the 
west side of the river from a previous 
owner. 

The place was known as Tunxis Se- 
pus, Tunxis signifying crooked and Se- 
pus a river, or the little river, in dis- 



tinction from the "Great River, the river 
of Connecticut." Dr. Trumbull trans- 
lates the name as meaning "at the bend 
of the little river." for here the I'^arm- 
ington River turns abruptly northward 
and finds its way to the Connecticut ,il 
Windsor. 

In 1642 we read of a .strand conspiracy 
of the Narraganset Indians and of the 
trilies living at Hartford and Middle- 
town, and the General Court ordered 
preparations to be made "to defeat the 
plot of the Indians meeting about Tunx- 
is." We hear nothing further of the 
plot, and on the 9th of .April, 1650, the 
Indians of this vicinity execute a deed 
described as ".-X discovery in writing of 
such agreements as were made by the 
magistrates with the Indians of Tunxis 
Sejius concerning the lands and such 
things in reference thereto as tend to 
settle peace in a way of truth and right- 
eousness betwixt the English and them." 
It states that it is "taken for granted 
that the magistrates bought the whole 
countr\, to the Mohawk countrv of Se- 



quasson, the chief sachem." The docu- 
ment then proceeds in a r.ambling, in- 
coherent manner to stipulate that the 
Indians should surrender their land, re- 
serving the "ground in place together 
compassed about with a creek and trees 
and now also to be staked out, also one 
little slipe which is also to be staked 
out." The English were to plough up 
the land for the Indians, who were al- 
lowed to cut wood for fuel. Fishing, 
fowling, and hunting were to be en- 
joyed by the Englisli and Indians alike. 
The deed was signed by Gov. Haynes 
on tlie ii.irt of the l''nglish and by Pe- 
thus and .Vuuno on the part of the In- 
dians. The consideration was the pro- 
tection alTorded the Indians and the 
lucrative trade oltered them in corn and 
furs. Nor was the consideration a small 
one. Before the coming of the English 
the trilie was bjtween two hostile and 
powerful enemies, the Pec|uots on the 
east and the Mohawks on the west. 
The brilliant camp.-iign of Captain John 
-M.ison had indeed relieved them from 




,.« 



M.a».o>."'l><» -11' 




58 



FARMINGTON. COXKRCTICUT, 



llu- fnniicr. liiit ficiiii llii- Mohawk^ tlu-\' 
wi-rt" still wtiiil til run in al)jcTt trrnir 
to till- honsi-s iif tlitii- iii-w friends, 'riio 
si.un.-itiin's (if I'ctluis and Alianid [•> llu- 
drcd arc liils of jiicinrc writin.i,' m it 
casiK cN|)lainalilf. Indian siynaturc^ 
art- iifirn nm-imlli n |irr-.L-ntatinns nl 
tlu-ir Inirins; lliat i^, i.f llir aniniaK al- 
ter wlni-li till' clan, and ^onl.'tinK■^ the 
indiviilnal, was named I'rtlnis' si.una- 
tun- is a nn-rc si-rawl. Iml Alianin's rlali- 
.ii'atr drawing la-scmliles iinthin.t; "ill 
.Iii-avi-n all na-, or llial i^ in llie earth 
lienealli, nr tliat is in tlu' water under 
llic eaiali." We nlu^t renienilier, Imw 
,.ver. Ilial llu' record is (iul\ a enjiy of 
llu. nriyinal deed t r'anscrilied January 
iX, Kill-, li\ William Lewis Re.nisler. 
wlio ini\ not liave vuflici<-ntl\ admired 
Indian arl and heraldry to have taken 
much |iains with his copy. 




i:l!x\i: (!■■ i;iMrK AIMI'V \iv\i: i\i:M 

IMi'l'dN l:. K. S-l'A'riON iTfii,j',y 

/,i,i;.i„). 

\ he deetl of 1(150 remained in force 
I weiUy-lliree yearv. hill all compacts, 
wliellier in I he naliire of treaties like 
that of (_'la\toii .mil Ihilwer. or of coii- 
^litiilioiis like Ih.il of Comieclicilt. do 
in lillU' ee.i>e to niL'el all tile ri(|lllle- 
ments ot new conditions. In 1(17,1. the 
Indians lia\inii liecoine dissatislied. the 
town "^.i.axe I hem :i meetin.i; liy ,a com- 
mittee wheiem lhe\ e.niic to ,a fric-iid- 
l\ ,-ind linal eoneln^ioii." I he liiili,!ns 
released llnir ri;;lil lo ,1 reel,in.^nl,ir piece 
of land drawn out in dia.yram ii|ion llie 
deeil Ihil llie\ mi.ylit see dcliiiitelv what 
tlie\ con\e\ed I he pieic measured li\e 
miles north from \\ep,aiiM)ck o|- Kounil 
Hill, lliiee miles to the cast, ten miles 
lo the soiiih, ,aiii| eiyhl miles to the 
west ■■ I he lown of harmin.ntoii fia-ely 
.L;i\in,i.; lo ilie Indian^ ,lfore^,lid two 
Imndred acre- of npl.ind within the 
kind-- oi ilieir idaut.ation, ,as also three 
pounds 111 oilier pa\.'"- In a postscript 
(so called) to this (\rt.-{\ llie Indi.aus ;ire 
conlnanid in their jios-^essioii of hand in 
the Indian Neck. This (\rt't\ was sif^ned 
hy lueiitv-oue lndi,aiis and hy live of 
lluir sipiaws. Sipi,aws often signed 
deeds with lluir hn-,h:iiids. 'Ihey mi.yht 
he tri',aled hy them woi-se than tieasts of 
hurdeii; ne\ eriheless. if descended Irom 



s.icliems or sagamores, their ri.glit in 
the liody [lolitic aiul that of their chil- 
dren was respected. The salic law of 
old world nations ilid not 'nold with 
them According.; to IVarkni.an, anions 
the h-oipiois, the ro\;d line followed the 
totem down the feiii.ile line. If a Wolf 
\\.irrior married a ll.avvk squ.aw. the 
children were Hawks .and not Wolves, 
and ,a reputed son of the chief was 
soiiietinu-s set aside for the chihlren of 
a sister, for a sister must necessarily lie 
his kindreil, and of the line royal. 

I'.iyhl years afterward, .Mesecope exe- 
I(i7,V .and again in l'iX,i, liecoiliing dis- 
satislied witli these not very well un- 
derstood lethal ilocmneiits, takes the tovi-n 
authorities with him, ,ind in ,1 luisiness- 
like maimer goes to the south, rn limit 
of the grant, marks a trc'c and huilds .1 
moiuimenl. In like manner lie delnies 
tile eastern and western hounds, so tli.it 
all men could see and understand, .anil 
then goes home and signs his heraldic 
device, a bow and arrow, to a long ac- 
count of his ilay's work. His son Sas- 
seii.ikmn, "in the lueseiice and li.\' t;U- 
help of his father," adds his device. 
\\lncli may represent llu- sun with its 
snrromidiiig halo. I he document w.as 
diiK recordeil and is the last deed we 
neid Consider. Peace was iTrml.x est,ih- 
lished. and with few exceptions the re- 
lations hetweeii tile whites and liidi,aiis 
were from first to Last friendly. h'or 
an account of one s.iil e\eeption we must 
go h.ick .1 little. John Hull, mint mas- 
ter of I'.i.-lou, in his diar\ 'mder date 
of .\pril -'.?, I'i,s7, s.iNs: "We received 
letters from Hartford, .ind 
heard that at a town called h'armingtou, 
near ILirlford, an Indian was so hold 
as to kill an kaiglish wom,in great with 
cluhl, and likewise her maid, and sorel\- 
wonnded a little ihild— .all within their 
house — and then lired the house, wiiicli 
,also lired some other hams or houses 
The Inilians. heiiig apprehended, de- 
li\ered np the murdered, who was 
liron.yhl to ll.irtford ;nid (afler he h:id 
Ills right hand eiil off) w.is, \\ilh an 
i.ixe, kiiockeil on the head In the e\e- 
enlioucr " I'liis story- is worth ,1 little 
study .as illiistrati\ e of the manner in 
wli'ich imicli gr.ive liistor\ is evulved 
(ii\i-ii a fi-w f.icis niaii> years .apart, a 
few tr.adilioiis .and a livel\ imagination 
.and there results ;i stor\- that sh.all go 
down through .all time as .antlieiilic as 
the exploits of (lid Testaineiit heroes. 
Let Us Consider the facts .ind then the 
story. The Ceneral Court in April. i(i,s7. 
t.ikis notice of "a most horrid mindi-i 
coiiimitleed h\ some Indians at l''ariiiiii,i;- 
toii, and though .\1 .is.ipano seems to he the 
liiincipal .icloi-. \ et the .accessories are 
not yet elearl> discoMied." .Mi'sseii- 
gers were sent to the Xoruooiuek and 
tile I'octimtuck Indi.iiis, that is, to those 
of lladle> and 1 )eerlield, to deliver up 



^^esap,allo, wliicii would .suggest that 
those Indians r.ither than the Tuiixis 
trilie were the guilty parties. 'Idle lat- 
ter, however, h.id heeii duly warned 
against entert.Linin.g hostile' Indi.ans and 
were therefore held responsihle hir the 
murder .and the I'lring ot a house, and 
they "nmtually agreed and ohlfged t'.ieni- 
seUes to pay unto the (lelleral Court 
ill ( )ctolier, or to tluir onler, ye.arU. 
for the term of seven >e.irs, the full sum 
of eights fathoms of wampum, well 
strun.g and mereh.antahle " .Xe.arly ten 
years aflerw.ard the house of John ll.irt 
takes lire one Decemher ni.gllt and all 
his f.amily. save one son wdio was ah- 
seiit. wia'e luirned. We li.i\e several 
conleiiiporary records of the dis.ister. 
hut no suspicion of foul play apiie.ared. 
Putting togither these stories separtited 
h\ ten years of time we li.ive full ma- 




...Ji^^^ 



\\ 01. n iii:sK \i\im; \:\ \ 11 NM.-^ lNlil.\N 
— l>i;oi'ia;i'N oi' mi; ll^:^l;^ M.VUTIX 

( (IW l.l'.S 

teri.ils for the hisioric t.ale The In- 
dians surround the house of John Hart 
at midnight, murder the entire f.amily, 
and liiirii the liousi- o\ er their remains. 
The town ri-corils |nrish in the flaincs. 
and tile trihe p.i\' .1 line of eighty fath- 
oms of w.inipmn \early tliere.ifter. In 
point of f.Kt the Indians di<l not mur- 
der John Hart or hiirii his house. .\'o 
recoi'ds were desiroved, and the court 
compl.iined ih.it tlu' Indians did not pay 
the line for their tr.insgression of ten 
\ears hefore I he innrder of 1657 w.as 
prohahK the work of strange Indians 
and not of the friendly Tmixis trihe. 
rile Indi.ins li\iiig to the norl-i within 
the jurisdiction of the M.ass.aclmsetts 
Colony weia- foi- ni.iiiN c'.irs a nuai.ace 
to the whites and friendly Indians .alike 
There is .1 well-known tradition that 
ahout the \ear i(i,=;7 .1 marauding party 
from tile north, seeking captives to 
liolil hir r.iiisoui. .appeared at the ll.arl 
farm, one iiiih' north ol tin.' present 
south line of ,\\on. and. iirocced- 
ing tlience soiitliw.ard. nmrdered a 
.Mr. .Scott .at .a place llieiiceforth known 
as Scott's .Sw.amp. The earliest record 
of the tr.adition is that by Mr. Kzekiel 
Cowdes. f.ither of llie late h'ghert Cowles. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



59 




I' MISS siii'ill A II wnii i:si,i A . 




i:i;.siiii:\i K III' i:(ii;i:iM' i, wvkknc r:. 




Ij Pi PI 




ALr.XAXDKH L A WliKXCH'S COTTACK -JMSS K. S. 1. WMJKNCK'S ■MVI slliil'.- 




roiiKSIDI-;"— I'lMI'Kiri'V (IK N. WAI.I.Al'lv HKSIIIJOXCK OF 

Miis. iiAi!nii;-r n. \vii.Mi:i>M)iNi:. 



ON TIM': \VATKU\ ll,l,i; li(lAI). 



60 FARi\II\GTO.\', CONNECTICUT, 

Esq., which I give in his own words. the bed of the old canal and nurth bv Er.mi .Mint..., he received ten pounds of 

.He savs: "Two Indians came to Old land recently of Mr. Henry C. Rice. „„„,- f,,,- , ,„,„ti„„ |,,j,,,^.j, f„^,^ „,^.,^^, 

iMiiii. whrrc a man l5\- Ine name id Here were fcirmerlv pliiuohed n|} in 

Hart was lioeinu cm. Me had a ^nn .Mfeal mtmbers tun kinds ,,f |„,|i;,n arrna ''"' "'^"'';"" '"^ «""■ ='"'' ■'"'>^^'^' f°"r 

He wnnld hne along a little, .and then luMcK, the hn.a.l. black kmd umiI 1i\ ^"'' '' ''''" '"'-''^'l "f ^''"'i'- He lias ac- 

lliin mine his .s^im ,i little, and then the Tiin.\i> Indi.ins. and a lesser iniin- >^">iiils aKo iwitii W..n()mie. Judas, and 

hue- ag.ain. He aKo hail two dogs. The her of a kind narrower, more pointed. "thers for sales .and repairs ,,f axes, 

dogs ueri- disturbed by the Indians ami and of a lighter color. These latter ''"^'^ scythes, guns, gnidocks, hoes, 

wouhl run towards the woods. .\ pait- we were told were the weapons of a I'ieks, knives, hatchets, etc. Imple- 

.ridge tleu upon .1 tree ne.ir where he boslije tribe li-fl here after a great nients for hunting seem to have been 

was hoeing, lie sIk.i at it and then b.ittle. ( )f this battle. Deacon IClijah '""""' '" demand and were paid for 

loaiiiil his gun before he moved. The I'orter has left us .an account based on '''"'" '''^' I'roceeds of the hunt. They 

Indi.ins concluded the\ could not get the traditions ,)f a bnnilred vears a.g<i, bought some seed com and hoes, and 

him ami went on u|ion the mountain uu- He sa\s the whites "made an agreeineiU "■ '"■ '" '"^' '"'Ped made good use of 

til the,\ came iie.ir the south p.irl of the with them to remove to the wi-st side them, but ihe picture of Indian agricul- 

vill.agc- ami got something to e.il, but of the meadow, bul before the\- left ''"'"-■ .^i^eii b\' \Voi>d in his "New Eng- 

found loo man\ bouses to attempt to their old settlement lhe> had intelligence land's rrospecl" is the more ciunmoidy 

take .in> inisoneis, WeiU on .Saw Root's thai the .Stockbridge Indians were pre- reiei\ eil one. Describing the occupa- 

hotise on (in.n I'lain, He was .at pray- p.aring to cljuic and tr\ their strength tious ol the sipi.uvs, he sa\s "another 

ers. The Indians hi'ard him; thought with the Tnn.xis trib-v The\" met ,ic- "'ork is their Iil.anting of corn, where- 

tliere u ere ni;m\ pei'sous in the house. cordingh' .at what is called the lattle '" t'lcy exceed o;n' k'nglisli busbamlmen. 

Dogs b.arked, l'lie\ r.an, bound Scott ,\le,Ldo\v The battle was fought with keeping it so clear with tlieir clamshell 

alone, 'i'ook hinr He resisted, llal- hue Imlian coinage and was vi-ry hoes, as if it were .a garden rather 

loed, The_\ cut out his tongue .and linal- lilooK. but the Stockbridge Indians than a corn field, not suffering a chok- 

l.\ killed 'lim," 'I his atrocity also is uere too iiowerful for the duuNis. .and ''iK ' - eed to ai|\-ance his audacious head 

.allribulcd lo stiMiige Indians. The dif- ;|,e\- gave wa\' and retreated to their al>o\e iluir inf.ain lorn, m- an under- 

ferences betueiii the whites and the settliauent. whereupon t!ie sipiaws mining worm to spoil his spumes. 

Tunxis tribe during this perii>d were f.irmed ,1 bitlalion and. attacking the Their (a)ni b.an- ripe, the\- gather it 

iomp,ar.iti\el> sliglil and appear mostl_\' eiieiiu' on their Hank, soon dro\e them '"i''' dr\ ing it hard in the sun. coine\' it 

in lae riaa.rds of lines iiniiosed on the from the field .and gained a complete '" t'l"-'''' b iriis, which be great h.)les 

uliites fcu- selling cider and strong drink victory, I he Indians, soon after the d.gged in the grouml in f,irin of a In'.ass 

to the Indians, and on the Indians fiu' battle, made prep.ar.il ion to reiiKive to P"'- eeilcd with rinds of trees, wherc- 

ihe coiise.piences which n.aturally fob ihe west side of the meadow," ddie re- '" 'lie> put their com. covering it 

lovveil. The cases were all pett\- ,ind a inov.al of the Indians malered !>>■ the from the iiKpiisitive se.arch of their 

single example will sufficientl\' illustrate I ieiier.al Court in lOsX was prob.abb' gorin,aiidi/iiig husbands, who would eat 

their u.atnre. In 10,^4 "I'.apaqurrote is s,„,n accomplished, for as earl\' ,as idlu "P l"'th their allowaal tiinnion. and re- 

a<l,indged to pa> imto J.e.kstr.iw six the bi.gh ground west of I'e(|uabuc sir\ed feed, if ili,\ knew where to find 

i.ilhoiiis of waiupmn for his injurious meadow was known on tlie town records it" 

Vuhing of Ills liair from bis head by ,is port Hill, where m.a\- still be seen .'~>i^ years later, in loSS, Rethus .and 
the roots," .\'ow, if Ihe Imh.aiis in- iju- f;r,avestones which marked Ihe ik-h \li,inio h.id dep.arled ibis life for the 
dulged in such ,aii irregiil.ar form of place of Imli.in buri.iN, In 1(175 the Ira] p\ hunting griiuiids of their race, 
scalping as this, and the injured iiarly Court admilted th.il llu\ had "set their and no one reigned m their stead, 
apliealed to a ^'ankee justice of the wigwams where the authority ap)ioints," L'nder the mild iirolection of the I'^ng- 
peaie for reclress, ii would seian that During the whole of King I'hilip's lisli the tribe no longer needed chieftains 
their sa\:igery w.is begiiming to Lake on war in 1(175 .and 107(1, when the towns to lead tliem to battle. ,and the love of 
a rather mild form, ,irouiid us sultiaaal the horrors ,,f Indian olliee for its petty spoils ,and dignity 
Ciilil the >c,ar \l<sX the tribe li\ed w.irfare. the rinixis trilie rem.ained iinnKiiig the sacrifice of self respect 
mosil\ on the east side of the ri\er, faithful to the Paiglish. and on the dtli and worlillv goods for its attainment, 
wluaa- lhe> biniial their de.id and where of October, 1(175, sent six of their war- did uoi .appeal to tluar simple natures. 
tlie\ in.aiiU. lined a fort Hither came riors to assist them at Springfield. Xi\ ertheless. it w.is desirable that 
strange Indians, sometimes as friends I he\ were Xeseheg.m. Waii.i winesse. s,,me of ilu-ir race should have author- 
ami somelimes ,as foi-s. until tlu- court VVoewass.a. Se| se. I 'ii<-kehep,assmi, .and 'il\ lo .agree with the b'.nglish in the 

found it iie(a.ss.ar> to oriler "lli.al notice Cuckcowott, In the M.ar iliSj we gel selllemeiit of coni ro\ i-rsies, ,\ meet 
sh.ill be given to the Indians living at a |i,assing gliin|ise of the relations of -ing of the tribe w.is therefore held on 
P'.anuinglon th.at in regard to their hostile the whites and liidi.iiis from a sinnle the 171I1 of Septemb.r. idXS. at the 
linisuils. conlr.ar\ to f.,mier orders of U-.af of the .account book of Deacon house of John W.adsworlh, am! they 
court, and iiiiisidiring their i-nlerlaiii- 'I boiu.is I'.iill. in which lu. recorded his ' .vere askial. now tli.al their chief men 
meiil of strange Indians, colli iar\. to the dealings with the Indians, Deacon were dead, whom lhe\ would make 
agrecaneiil with tlii' E.nglish when they |',n|| li\eil on the east siile of the ro.a.l choice of to lu. chief, Ihey \ er> 
sat down ill Parinington, whence ensues which diverges from .Main Streel .1 niodeslly "di.sirel .\lr. Wads' ,vortb lo 
danger lo the P.nglish by bullets shot Ijule south of the t'nngreg.ational uominale .1 man or two. who did 
into ilu. town in their skirmishes, that Chuiadi. To Clierrv be sells two hoes iiomin.ate Waw.awis .and Sbiiin. and .all 
lbe\ speedih- provide another ]ilaee f,,r t.vliieh be w.as lo reiaive li\c. and ih.il were present well apiiroved of 
for their b.cbil.ilion and desert tli.il pl.aca- i,ne half bushels of corn .at liar\esl them" , , ",as c.apt.ains to wdiom 
wherein lbe\ are now garrisoned," In linu-, p'or one broad hot. John Indi.an the faiglish m,a\ lia\e reccutrse at all 
lbe>ear 1 7 1 1 . and iierhaps earlier, a cer pr.imises a buckskin well drc-ssc-il and times," d he record of the nieetiiig 
tain iiiece of band was known in the ,hi|y p,a>s the same, I'o Tapliow he w.as signed by John W.idsworlb. Will- 
town records .is port l.ot. and it re- lo.aued one bushel of grain and got iaiii Lewis Senior, and John Standly 
t.ained ihe name iiiitil il was absorbid b.ick one-h.df bushel. He sells .\rwoiis Senior ,is witnesses on the part of the 
i'llo the golf groimds of the Ci)untr.\- ;, hatchet to hum with, I'or which he E.nglish. and b\ Xoiisbasb, Judas, .and 
'lull It is Ihe iiarl bounded west by was lo receive nine pounds of tallow. ekweii others on ihe ].art of the tribe. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



61 




COTTACK OF LKWIS X. LONG. 



!f f wX^' u ff|r ■. 





JdSK I.AW.N"— l(i:sll)i:.VCK OK N. W.VLLACE. 



IIIK KAU-MI.MaciN 1 KKA.\lKli\ I'L \l !■; 
RESIDENCE OV GEORtlE I'. BURGESS. 




THE .lOH.N TILLOTSON 1 LACE 
PliOPEUTY OF F. H. AND G. F. ANDREWS. 




1--^ 



'^ 




■.MEAIiiiW \ IKW J-\:ii\ 



N w \M V. I l;l M|.( \> 1. nl .\ll;>. ( . I,. Ml N.\. 



AMIHEWS rll>l,K .MILL. 



(.I.N THE \VATi:H\ ILLL liilM' 



62 



I'"ARM!X(;T0X. coxxecticut. 



\Vavv;i\vis ami Sliuni. in\ llieir part. 
■ ai'('c]>lL-il (it tlir place of (MptaiiiN nr 
cliii-f iiK'ii am.inysl all tlK- ll|lliall^ imw 
in "iir p.Hii and cli. iir(>nii>c (o fai-n 
(|uii.-ll> and puarcalilu towards all I'.n.u;- 
lisli and to ni\i- an account to \lr 
Wadsworth of any strange Indians com 
ing. etc, TueK e others, "not liein;4 innx- 
is Indians," also siL;neil ,an agreement 'to 
'.valk pc-ace.alil\ and (|nietly to\v,irds llie 
iMi.glish . . , and to he siilijei't to 
Shnni .and W'awawis as their chief coni- 
nianilers." 'I his agreement seein^ li> 
ha\e heen failhfidl\ ke|n. In 1 7-',s. .an 
all.ack from Cinnh hjing feareil .and 
hands ol hostile Inrli.ans h.i\ing heen 
found lurking ,ihiut Lilchlield. the 
(io\ernor .ami Coumal I'esoK ed "Th.al 
John Hooker. l-.s.i., Wilh.mi W,nU- 
worth, and Isaac Cou les, or an\ two 
cd' them, sh.ill inspect the hnli,ins of 
I'.armin.glon ; ,iml the saiil lndi,nis, e,ieh 
and every m,ni ol ihem. i> (irdered to 
.i|)pe.ir hefore s.iid committee e\ery 
da\ ah lUl sundown, at such pl.Ha- as 
said co)iinnttee shall .i]i|ioint. and gi\e 
to said conimittee an account of their 
r.anihle and business the preceding i\a\ 
unless said connniltee shall. lor good 
reason to thein shoun. gi\f tluar .al- 
lowance to ount their ap|n- nainci- for 
sonu- time" In llclolur this restr.iinl 
• \;is remi'\a-l li'om the h.oanmgh mi In- 
di.ins provided the\' refrained l|-om 
w.ir I- lint ,iiid wore .1 while cloth iiii 
llu-ir heads when t!ie\ wa-nt into tlie 
waiods to hnnl. thus di^tmgnidiing 
theniseUe^ from the hostile Indi.ins 
, iia lund them 

[he conversion of the n.iti\i's n\ tins 
continent to ( 'aristi.initN was a favorite 
|)urpose ^et lortli in the gr.ints .and 
ch.irtva's issued h\ I'airope.iii smiaaigns 
whether rrotesiants or ("alholii- In 
17011 the fieneral AssemliK of Coniivcli- 
cul desires tile reverend ministers to 
pre|iare .a pl.an for their convarsioii, ,iiid 
in;' 1717 the llovaaiior and ('ouiicil ,ire 
inalcred to present "the husines^ ol 
Kospeling the Indrins" to tlic> ( >ct ih a- 
session ol the assinihlv In i 7-'7 pva" 

si>iis li.av'ing Indi.in clnldiaai in *Iuir 
families ;ire ordered to ende,ivin' to 
te.irh llicin lo lead kaiglish and lo 
catechise them In 1 7.;.! the (reiieral 
.Xssenililv provides lor the payment ol 
■.he hoard of the Indian \onth ol 
h'.arminglon ,il .a scaool under ihe su 
|ier\ision of Isev Simiiel Wdiilinm, and 
the next vear the kilter repoils ]n ■ 
gress lo (lov, 'I'alcotl. "I Ii.avc l.isun 
only to inform vonr llouoiir that if the 
nine Indt.in laiN ihil ware kept .il 
school last vvinter. thta-e can re.id well 
in a tesi nil -111. ihree' curreiillv in .a 
p » ilti r. and I'iree are in llieir primers 
Tesiaments .and ps.alters have heen pro- 
vi:I.' I for iImsc that read in llieiii 
'I lirei- of ve Inili.an lads an- eiilered in 
writing and one hegins lo wrile .1 legi 



hie hand " Appropri.ation, for the schoid 
w laa- iiKuIe h_v the assemhiy for three 
successive vears. In 17,17 a pupil of the 
school, one John .M,il,i'.v'an. hecaine its 
leaciier- In 1731 the Irihe h.id made such 
jirogress in adopijiii; ihe customs of their 
while iieighhiirs tlral the ICeclesiastical 
Society "gr.anted a lihcrtv to the Cliris- 
ti.ani'ed Indians helonging to said societ.e 
to hiiild a seat in the gallery in the .Meet- 
ing IIou.se over the stairs ,al the north- 
east corner of stiid house anil to he done 
.at the direction of I'ae socii-ty coiii- 
millee" In 17(1,? .Solomon Alossuck 
joins the church, and two ye.ars after- 
ward his vvife luiniee also joins In X^i- 
veinher. 177-'. a new teacher look hi~ 
pkice in the liltle Imli.in schoolhouse in 
West District. I hi^ w.as Jose])h John- 
son, a .Mohegan linlian. \v .losi.- father 
li.id heen a soldier in the I'rench war. 
Me had attended W'heelock's Indian 
Charity School at l.ehanon in 175X, hut 
after leaving il had led an irregular lile, 
,1! one time going on ,a whaliii.g v;iy.i,ge 
and visiting the West Indies Returning 
to .1 soher. religions lile, he w.is i-ui- 
ploved h_v the ".Society fi u' f'rop ig,iling 
the fiospel in .Xcw I'.nglaml" to ti'acli the 
d'unsis Iiidi.aiis milil he w.as oid.cinei'i 
.as a minister .it ll.inover, Xevv ll.amp- 
shire. in ihe summer of 1774. lie had 
much to do with the suhse(|uenl removal 
of III.- trilie to the '.vest, 

Ihe conlimied progress ol ihe Indi.iiis 
low.ird a civili/ed life .and their feelings 
and .ispir.ilioiis in reg.ird to it are set 
forth in the memori.d of hdijali W'am- 
pi'V . .So'ianon .\!ossmd<. and the rest of 
tile Irihe to the Mav session of the 
( ieiier.al \ssemlilv in 1774. " \ our 
lloiiour's Memorialists li.ive alw.avs 
liveil and inh.aliited in the said town ol 
laarmingtou hv means whia-eof the most 
of Us li.ive ill some measure hecome 
,ic(|uainted with .and formed some gen 
eral ide.is ..f the hinglish custom .and 
m.imua-s. ,iiid ni.aiiv of s,iid trihe h.ave 
heen in^tructeil in re.iding .and writing 
in hiimlish, ,iiid have heen .al coiisiikr 
.ihle expense in .ill.iining the saiiH'. and 
furnishing onrsidvcs w'th liililes and 
some oilua- hooks in hiuglisii f. n- our 

further iuslrm-lion lliough | iK ahle 

to he.ar the espense thereof, and we 
heing desirous to in.ake fnrlher pro- 
liciincv in k'.nglish hler.atnre and es 
peci.allv lo he .ac(|iiainted with the Stat 
ule Laws of this Colon.- . . . do 
tiler. -fiue pr.-n vonr llouours I 1 give lis 
a Colouv I. aw- I'.ook to guide .iml ilir.-cl 
II, in oiir conduct " 'I'lii- |ielilioii was 
L;r.-iiiled, 

\iioiher nu-inori.il hv the s.inu- per 
soii .. d.ited six d.ivs e.irlii-r, foresh.-id 
ows a great c'aange ahait to come o\er 
the Irihe, 'Ihe restless spirit of the 
s.-ivage which no civili/iiig inllueiici-s. 
or religion itself, could wdiolly sulvlne. 
Ii.-h1 been set on lire bv the allureuienls 



of lu-w- scenes offered them and of more 
room for the exorcise of their oUl-tiine 
freeiloin of forest life. The memorial 
stales " that they have receired a kind 
invitation from their brethren, the Si.x 
X.-ilioiis at Oneida, to come and dwell 
with them, with a promise of a cor- 
dial reception and .uiiple provision in 
land whereon to subsist, and heing 
slr.iighteiied where we now dwell, think 
it will he best for ourselves and our 
children aii<l also tend to extend and 
adv.-mce the kingdom of Christ .niiong 
the lu-athen nations to sell our interest 
in this Coloiiv. to accept said kind in- 
vitation of our brethren .-ind to remove 
to the- I tneid.i. .ind to pre\ent being 
imposed n|iiin therein, we humbly i)ray 
vonr llouours as our fathers and gnard- 
i.ius to a|ipiuiit Col, John Strong and 
I'islier li.a.,. I'.scj,. and Mr. Kln.-ithan 
I iridic), all of said I-'.-irmiuglon. a coin- 
uiittev- to assisl. direct, and oversee us 
in ihe sale of our lands," Their ]ieli- 
tioii wa- gr.niled. We ha\e another 
.iccounl of this invitation of the lunxis 
tribe to the iioiiu- of their former dead- 
liest enemies. Il was vvritten down by 
Deacon h'.lijah I'orler. who was ,1 boy 
of thirteen .-It the time r,f Ihe occur 
reiiei- and iloubtles, wrot. of what lu 
].,-rsoiiallv kiu-w, lie sav s : " Souie 
liiiie before the K(-v olntionarv W'ar a 
Irihe of ihe ( )iu-ida Indians came to 
harininglon to make- ithe Tuiixes a 
friendly visit .Ncci u-diiigly tbe> had : 
feast of wild deer. In the evening they 
held .1 powwow, Tiiey buill a very 
l.-irge lire and the two tribes joined 
hamls .ind set to rnnning .irouinl this 
lire singing and -houling and sounding 
the w.ar whoop so loud as to be pl.-iiiil\ 
heard .1 mile" 

rile grc-it ohsiacli- \<i the removal of 
the- Irihe was their ilaiin to valuable 
l.-inds which they could neither take 
vvitii them nor leg.illv sell. Since the 
war l7,iX ihev had many times be- 
sought the assistance of the Ceiu-ral 
\..seiiiblv and lli.it hodv bv ^umlrv coiii- 
iiiillees had found them to he the 
rightful loviiers id' a piece ol land 
known ,1- till- Indian Xeck. cont.aiiiiug 
from iiinelv lo one hundred and fortv- 
acres. boundel east and soulii bv the 
river. iKU-lh bv the Wells l-'arm, and 
vvesl bv kind of D.iniel Lewis. This 
l.-iiid. ihongli iiol held in sever,-dty. cer- 
t.iiii indixidn.-ils of the liibt- bad .il 
templed lo sell in small c|Uaiitilies by 
de,-il- in niosl iiisiaiices not legallv cx- 
eenti-d or reioriled and dating bick as 
f.-ir .IS iIk- liisi (lav of December. 1 7o_>. 
M.inv K-gisl.-itiirc-s perplexi-d lb(-inselva-s 
vvilh atl(-mpts to do justice to all jiar- 
ties. milil .-It h-iiglh a commitU-e was 
.-ippoiiit( (1 in 177.?. which, taking into 
consideratiou all the circimist.iucc-s of 
tile case. divi(l(-d a parlicul.-ir holding to 
each Indian, whether w.-irri(U- or s(piaw, 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



63 





Hi;siiii:m i: ip- i i:i:i. n \\iH:i-U.- 



■riM. 1111,1, I \\:\i i;i..->ii)i.M I, m i. j. i iii::.ir.-..)-\. 





MUSICS MiKI".l': IM.\(I'; 
HKSIDKM r. ell' •I'lllMW Mil, 1. 1 




64 



l'\K.\ll.\G'l"()N. CONNECTICUT. 



Ill (|ii.iiilit\ varying tnini ten acri'S to 
a litllr less than Iwn acres anrl niaiii- 
a map of the same. Lots wvvc laiil 
out lo lliirt\ -sc\rii iii(li\ iiliials. l)einK 
one iiion- than llic census of 1774 re- 
cords. Acciirdiny to the latter there 
were fourteen niali-^ over twenty \ear> 
of a.ye and twehc females, 'i'lic wllole 
matter was ,iccom|ili>hed in 1777, .and 
the triUe w.as free to renio\e willi t:ie 
proceeds of the sale <if their lands. 
The tri1)e. small ,is it was, seems not 
to h.i\e made ils cnimUis in a IhmK. 
In ()ctolier. 177.1. thcii' |irincipal men 
sent .a cirenl.ar letter to .si.\ nlher New 
I'aittl.ind Irilies askin.y them to send i-ach 
a messen.ner to l:ie house of .Sir Wil- 
liam Johnson, uho had enconra.yed 
liicir renio\.il jo-,e|ih Jiilni-.on an I 
ICIijah \\'.am|jey were the onK men 
who wi-nl. Al .1 meetinu at t'aniio 
liai'ie the ncNl J.imi.irv. represenLalives 
were sent hy lour Irihes who .innomicel 
their nUended reinii\al in a speech liy 
Joseph Jr)hnson in the council house 
of tile I )neidas. The hitler, in their 
reply. s.a_\- : " lirelhreii. since we lia\i' 
received yon .is hrolhers. we sh.ill not 
confine yon. or pen \ on ii]i to ten miles 
sijuare." and .idd iii.nix expressions of 
heart\ welcome, I he sprin.y of 1775 
saw the dep.irlnre id' a consnlerahle 
part of the I miMs triiie, some li 1 
Oneid.a .and some to Stockhrid.ne, In 
the Indi.in deeds on record. iCIijah 
\\'ampe\ locales himself in 1777 as 
"now ol ( )neid.i in tile .Mohawk coun- 
try." and James W'owowas in 1775 ,is 
of .Slo(dvl)ridi;e. The lime of iheir re- 
iiio\,il was most nnforlnn.ile, I he\ , 
Willi 1110,1 of ihe ( Ineidas, es|ionsed llie 
p.iliioi side 111 ihe Ivevidntion ,ind uere 
drueii in 1777 fr.)ni their new homes 
1)\ llie I'.ritish, d'ories. and Inrli.aiis un- 
der .Si, l.e<>cr and sou.uhl refiij^c- in 
Stockhridjjc. .M assaclinsetls. ID u-ll 
the sliiry of laeir dis.asler .al leii,!;lli 
were to reheirse a l.ar.ye |)art of ilu' 
histor\ of the Uevolntioii, I In- w.ir 
over. llie\ renew llieir ineiiiori.ils to 
our sl.ite le.yislaiure to help them re- 
turn to iheir now rlev.islatcd lioiiivs. 

d heir .ap|ic-,il to the ( )ctoher session 
ol ihe (ieiier.al \sseiii!>lv in 17X0 was 
wrillen h\ W.iiiip<\. C'nsk. Curcomli, 
and ivi'ners from West Slockhrid.i^e ask- 
iuii for funds lo p.iy f,n- the pre.uli 
iiiK ainoiiL; iln-ni of " D.niiel Simon of 
the .Xarr.a.y.iiisel Irihc of Indians of 
( olley,- ednc.alion .and ord.iined to 
pre.ach the i.;ospel." Iheir reipiesi, 
llioii.uh forlilied In .111 appeal from ihe 
niission.ir> S.amnel Kirkland. was re- 
fused, .and iiiste.id Ihereof tlie> were 
allowed 1.1 solicit c<iiitrihutioiis in the 
.several clmrches. ,\ consider.ihle sum 
was thus collecled in Continental cur- 
rency and in hills of credit issued by 
tin- st.ile. hut so utterly valueless h;i<l 
this currency become that " uol worth 



a contineiitar' was the common desij;- 
n.ilioii of anytbiii.s; absolutely worthless, 
I he .assembly this time took pity on 
their conilitioii .ami milercd the state 
treasurer to take np the bills and /^av 
l.iwful money to Rev, Samuel Kirkland 
lor Iheir use. 

In 17W the Indians be,i>:an to re- 
liirii to tlieir ( )neid.i homes, being eu- 
coiir.i.ned hy an .act of the New York 
legislature which has the following pre- 
amble: ".And whereas the Oneid.a .and 
I iise.arora tribes inhahilin.g within this 
st.ile ha\e been distinguished f. n' their 
.ilLailmieiit to the cause of ,\ineiici 
and ha\-e iherehN- enlilled IhemseKes to 
pioiection, .and the said tribes by their 
hnmble |ietition h.i\ing pra\ed that 
Iheir land nia\ he sicnrcd to them hc 
.inlhorily of the legislature." commis- 
sioners were appointed ti> devise meas- 
ures for their coiilenliiient. In ,111 .ad 
ol iNoi we re;id "lli.at the tract of 
l.iiid of six miles square coulirmed b\ 
tlic Oneida Indi.ans to the Stockbridgv 
Indians hy the treaty held .at I'Virt 
Stanv\is in the >ear one ihonsaml se\en 
hundred .and eight) -eight sli.all he .and 
rem.ain to the Stockhridge Indi.iiis .nid 
their |iosterit\ forcxa-r," , . , ".and 
he il fnrlher enacted ih.at the tract of 
1,111(1 Inretofore set ajiart for tile lu- 
di.uis cilled the New iMigland lndiau.s. 
consisting of the tribes called the Mo- 
hegaii. Montock. Stonington. and Nar- 
raganset Indians, and the Petpiots of 
C.rotoM and Xehanlicks ,,f I'Virming- 
loii. shall be and remain to Ihe said 
Indi.ins ,uid their poslerit\. bnl wilhont 
an\ po\\er <•{ .ilien.ilion li\' the s.nd 
Indi.ins. or of le.asing or disposing of 
r.ie s.inie or ,an\ part thereof, .iiiil the 
s.iine tr.icl shall he called Hrolherlown 
■Old sh.ill he deemed p.art of the town 
of I'aiis in 111,' eoinily of ( liicdd.a. ' 
Ibollu-rlown uas on the ()riskaii\- .and 
occupied the gri'.ilcr part of the town 
of .Marshall, wdiicli w.as formerly a part 
of the town of F.iris and the southern 
pari o| Kirkl.ind in wliicli is located 
llamilloii College, \ew Slockliridge 
u.as si.\ miles to llie xvesi in the to\Mi 
of August 1 I he Iwo selllements 

formed .a' firsi one p.irisli. the .Rev. 
.Samson ( Icrom pre aching .allern.ale Sun- 
days, now in the barn of h'owK-r in 
r.roihei1o\\ 11 ,iiiil now in sonic house 
in .\'ew Slockliridge dlu- liis|or\ of 
these Iwo selllements. of their conli-n 
lions uith Ihe l.inil-linngrx whiles. ,nid 
ol lluir own inlernal ilisseiisious. is 
loo \ohniiiiioiis lor our preseiil con>i(i- 
ci.ilioii 111 i.X^i ihe\ .ag.aiii hcg.aii a 
new ieino\al uesiw.nal. ibis time lo 
• iicen II.ix. \\ iseoiisin Ihe .amount of 
Tiinsis blood diffused ihroiigh ih.al con 
glomer.ation of races nuist now lia\e 
become s, > sni.all th.al we will noi pnr 
sue the history of the tribe further. 
Those who desire further knowledge of 



the Rrolhertown Indians should con- 
snli the account of Rev. Samson Oc- 
cnm b\' the Rev. William DeLoss Lovq 
and the numerous authorities to which 
be refers. I shall only quote a few 
lilies from the account which President 
Dwight gives of his visit to them in 
1709. He says: "I had a strong in- 
clination to see civilized Indian life, 
I. c. Indian life in the most advanced 
state of civilization in which it is found 
in this country, and was informed that 
il niight probabl\- be seen here." The 
Hrolherlown Indians, he says, "were 
cliiell) residents in .Montville and Farm- 
ingloii. .and were in number about one 
hundred and lifty. Ihe settlement is 
formed on tiie declivity of a hill, rnii- 
iiiiig from north to south. The land 
is cNcellenl, and the spot in every re- 
spect well chosen. Here forty families 
of these people li.i\e lixe I themselves 
in tile business of .agriculture. They 
li.ave cleared the ground on botii sides 
of the road about ,1 (jn.arler of a mile 
in lireadth and abonl four miles in 
length, I liree of them lia\e framed 
houses. I be reni.iinin.g houses 

.are of logs, and differ little from those 
of the whites, when formed of tiie same 
maierials. Their husbandry is much 
inferior to that of the white people 
Their fences are indifferent and their 
meadows and arable grounds are im- 
perfectly cleared. Indeed, almost every- 
wdiere is visible that slack hand, that 
disposition to lea\e ever\ tnin.g unfin- 
ished, which peculi:irly characterizes 
such liidi:iiis as lia\ e left llie savage 
life" 

We uill close this |i;iper with a brief 
account of the scanty remnant of the 
Tuiixis tribe who lived and died on 
their amestr.al soil. .Sidomon Mossuck. 
who joined the eiinrch in 17(1,5. died 
Jaiin:ir\ _'5. iSoj. al the a.ge of 7!s and 
was bnrieil in the Indian burying 
ground on the hill to the left of the 
road as \on go to the railroad station. 
.\ wi'll-i-xecuted nioiuniient marks bis 
graxe He had .1 son Oriniel who was 
a soldier in llie l\e\ olulionary War 
.and a son Luke wlio removed to 
Piroihertown. Thomas Curcoinb. who is 
said oil the church records to liavi 
lieen ihe l.asi rniixis Indian of unmi.xed 
hlood. died llecembcr J I . iSjo. .aged 44. 
He is hesi remcnibered b\ the story 
of his hiixing riiiii at the store of Zenas 
Cowles. the nearest source of supply for 
the inhabitants of the Indian Neck. It 
was during tiie early days wdien lot;il 
.alistinence societies were unknown .iiid 
,ill cl.asses .and conditions of men bought 
nun. .and every nierchanl sidd it. as 
one ol the absolute necessities of life. 
'I liomas. having obtained a gallon for 
eight shillings, in due time returned for 
another siijiply and was disgusted to 
learn that the price in the meantime 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOWES. 



65 



had risen to nine shillings. It was e.K- 
plained to him that the extra sliilHng 
was for interest on the nione\ and for 
shrinka,ge of the liquor, and that it 
cost as nnieh to kee]i a hogshead of 
rinn through the winter as to keep a 
horse. Yes, yes, said the Indian. He 
no eat hay, hut he drink much water. 
Thomas got his rum for eight shillings 
as before. The story of Henry Mos- 
suck. son of Luke and grandson of 
Solomon, is not edifying, but as he 
was the last of his race and as his 
career well illustrates the inevitable fate 
of weaker races in the contest of life 
1 must venture to give you a brief 
sketch of a man sinning somewhat, but 
very mucci sinned against. His tirst 
recorded .-ippearance in public was in 
a justice court, where Esquire Horace 
Cowles fined him for stealing chickens 
on the night of July 8. 1824. A month 
.afterward he was wanted in another 
matter but had absconded to parts im- 
known. 1 wo >'ears later he goes to 
sea for a three years' voyage, and. as 
I am told, with Capt. Ebenezer Mi.K, 
giving a white neighbor a power of at- 
torney to take care of his land in his 
absence. Just before he returned, his 
trusted agent sold the land, pocketed 
the proceeds, and went west. Passin.g 
over twenty vears of his inic\entful lifj 



we find him at the age of forty-nine 
in Colebrook, where on a Saturday night 
in the last week of March, 1830, two 
wretches not twenty-one years of age, 
William H. Calhoun and Benjamin Bal- 
com, murdered a certain Barnice White 
in a most brutal manner. They were 
sentenced to be hung, and Henry Mos- 
suck, known as Henry Manasseth, was 
sentenced with them as having prompted 
and abetted them. A year afterward 
the sentences of all three were com- 
muted to iinprisonment for life. 1 have 
read the lengthy records of the court 
and the minute confession of Calhoim 
and have learned much from other 
sources. There seems to have been no 
evidence whatever against Mossuck ex- 
cept th.it of the men, who rehearsed 
the story of their brutal crime with no 
more compunction than they would feel 
at the butchering of an ox, and who 
had every motive for lying. Mossuck 
vainl\- petitioned the legislature for re- 
lease for three successive _vears, in iSOi. 
iSfij, and 1863, but linally, in 1867. Bal- 
com on his death bed ha\ing asserted 
the iimocence of Mossuck. and the 
chaplain and officers of the State Prison 
giving him a good character, be was 
pardoned. He died in our poorhouse 
on the iqth of October. 1S83. 

So came to an ignoble end a race 



always friendly to our fathers. They 
have left little to recall them to mind. 
.\ few luonuments mark their graves 
on b'ort Hill near by where John Mat- 
tawan and Joseph Johnson taught their 
schools. A single stone in our own 
cemetery overlooks the river once cov- 
ered with their canoes and the broad 
acres once their hunting grounds. On 
it are inscribed the well-known lines by 
Mrs. Sigourney : 

Chieftains of a vanished race, 
In your ancient burial place, 
I'.y .\onr fathers' ashes blest, 
Xow in peace securely rest. 
Since on life you looked your last. 
Changes o'er your land have passed; 
Strangers came with iron sway, 
-\nd your tribes have passed away. 
But your fate shall cherished be. 
In the stranger's memory; 
\'irtue long her watch shall keep. 
Where the red-men's ashes sleep. 

More enduring than these frail me- 
morials are the few Indian words of 
liquid siiunil which remain forever at- 
tached to the places where the red man 
lived : Pequabuck, the clear, open pond ; 
Quinnipiack. the long-water land; and 
Tunxis Sepus. by the bend of the 
river. 




A K.^RMINCTON D.MS-i' FIKLO. 



66 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



3m\B mxh lir&B of Jarmiugtnu. 



^^ 



/^^^■^HERE uci'L- twci liiitaiiisls who 

/ 'd mortitifii tlu- spiril liy lr\iii2; 

1 P L to make iiiom-\ in Wall -.trrct- 

^Jl^r "I licy iK-caniL- ac(|iiainti-il with 

each 111 her. tlie>e Iwn ,yray- 

haireil cild l>cp^ani^l^. ami ihey projected 

a Inp t(i Keiitiiclsy In see a very rare 

plani that was mily funnel in that slate 

When they had arrived in this little 

town in Kentuck\ , une nl these timv- 

haired l)otanists was taken sn sick it 

seemed that he was aliont li> die. "Dear 

friend." said lie tn the i.tlier In il.-niist. 

",U'i i>iit into the lields ami search fi n- 

the plants." The friend searched .and 

fonnd. and returned with se\ eral of the 

lirecii'iis herhs. 

"Let me feel nf tiiem." s.iiij die sick 
h.'l.inist " ^■es. thev .are .all n.L;lil ; Imw 
he.inlifnl the.\- are" Mis e\ e hri.ylileneil 
.and he sat up in heil. " hriemi I h, race." 
said lie. "are they f.ir fn.ni here"-'" 
" Qnite near," said the oiher " h'riend 
Hcirace. if I cnnld lean en >nnr .arm I 
mi.uht he ahle to re.icli the spnl. .nid 
Ihere is .a uheelh.arruw lielnw." 

In :i sni.iU clearin.n in the initldle id' 
Ki-nlncki were two nId im-ii. lalkin^. 
KCSlicnl.atin.L;. seated in llu- field. The 
rare plants middeil llieir ll.iwers on 
evcr\' side. It w.as ,i c(,mpli-te cure. 
We d.. m.t pretend u, cl.aim thai lind- 
injj r.ire |il.inls will inre e\er\ ill, hnt 
It is h.ird fnr im.sl ills to keep up wilh 
tlic cnlh'iinr id ferns. hnr his p.aih 
will he lliri,n.:.;h ihe wi.i.ds .and sw.iinps. 
and hii^h np where ihe Kni.i Mnr.iria 
han.ns mil its fr.iil fri.niK friaii ihe f.ice 
"f tile tr.lp lei|_u;es MllKisI e\cr\ spe- 

cies lit fern Ihat Is fiaiml in .\ew Iviif;- 
l.and cm he secured in hariniiiLili .11, .and 



ll 



lire .are several pi 



wir 



(>tlii,ii:l,Ks.siiiii hi, Ids ci.nrl. .iiiil cerl.ain 
s.andslone ledges where Ihe ( ',ini/'l,'.s- 
oriis RhyCdMiy/his line walkini^ fern) 
haiiKs down its l,iii._: iiie'.^;iili, 1 nnii imse 
exactly .as il i|i,| ni ihe e.iiK imies nf 
llic wnrld. The .arisim r.il ic Asplilinnis 
and \spleninnis .and the sl,iiel\ ( Isimi- 
ud.as. ihe fr.ail I )icksniiias, |he> are in 
our wi.nds and fields, .and ihniis.amK ,,f 
pnlypnilies. .inil .\spleiiiiiiii rriclin 
m.anes and Eheneiinis Krnw .ainniii.; ihe 
rocks. We will iiiil ii.ime lliein all l!iis 
lime, althnn.i;li ii wniild ple.ase iis im- 
mensely. 

Ainnii^; ihe inleresiiin.; |liin.us in .Mrs. 
Keep's sclioni is ihe colleclinii nf n.alive 
hirds, or rather llie hinls that visil 
IsarmiiiRlnn. There are llire<' large 

cases, two iinldin.u ihe I.ar,ne birds, tiic 




Tin: W M.KIM: I'|:II\ {famiil'nuu-ns i:iif/.,i,ijh,ilhis). 




TIIK IIKItON f\MILV Of IAl;\ll\i;ro\. 



•The ninl I'ictiile.s fur this urtiele were iiiiiile tLiiin s|n'iiiiiiiis in tin- e"lleition at Mi: 
I'lirter's .Sehoul — by perinissioii of Mrs. It. 1'. K(;e[). 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



67 



big herons, the hawks and owls, and the 
others filled with sparrows and warb- 
lers. The large heron in the picture 
was collected on the Farming-ton mead- 
ows. It is a shame to kill these big 
herons, but they are so large they excite 
the ambitions of the gunners. 

The night heron at the right of the 
picture is known by the long feather 
hanging from the back of its head. 
The night heron is more often heard 
than seen. In the night time his qua I 
qua ! may often be heard as he flies from 
one pond to another. The bittern, the 
second bird from the left, is not often 
seen, but the green heron at the e.K- 
treme left of the picture is often seen 
poking around the edge of a pond. 
These herons, the green ami the night 
heron, nest in colonies and tlicy have a 
habit of throwing up their food, or re- 




so.Mii OF TiiK I- ai{,mi,\(;to.n \\ isio ones. 




A i.l;'M 1' I'l F.VLiMI\(;Tc>X UWVKS. 



gurgitaiting all over file adventurous 
boy who is trying to rob the nests. 

The owls in this picture comprise 
about all of our Farmington owls. The 
largest, the great horned owl. is met 
with rarely. We once saw one on the 
bank of the river as we lloated by in 
a canoe. The next largest arc the 
barred owls. These in the picture are 
a pair, " and are not separated in 
deat.i." These barred owls are without 
ears and are the only owds with brown 
ejes. The next smallest is the long- 
eared owl anil then comes the common 
screech owl. This last named owl 
varies in its coloration so much it was 
formerly divided into three difTcrent 
species. The smallest is the saw whet 
owl. called from its cry which resem- 
bles the filing of a saw. 

-All these owls fly so softly, and ex- 
cept for the occasional hooting are so 




i:n\| I M I W nuns. 



68 



I'ARMTNr.TON, CONNRCTTCUT, 



noiseless, we li.irilly reali/ce Imw many 
lIuTe are almiil I1^. 

'llie lla\vk^ in tlie jiielnre. Iief^iinnnii 
at tlie riKlit. are. first, tlie reil-tailoi li.iuk 
The upper ]i.irl nt tile tall i-. .a ili a p 
cinnaniiiii red. This h.awk is i|iiiie ini- 
posiny. lie sails .arcaniil in j^re.il cir- 
eles, iiarrnwiiiL; nicire ami more. ,iml 
linally ealelies a nuaise i>r a sc|iiirrel. 

The seeiind fmni the ri.uht is llie reil 
shouldered liauk. 'I his is cpiite .a emii- 
iiioii hawk .alioiit l-'.iriiiiii.nliiii. The 
third from the ri^ht is the in.arsh hawk, 
I his is llie hawk lli.at we see sailing 
(■\er llie iiie.adiiws .ilifiiil dusk ll de- 
stnixs immense iin.aiuities i.f iiiiee. ll 
is a ver\' (.jraceful hawk .and .tjoes 
thripu,i;h wonderful ehan.nes in color 
from _\oulli to .lid .-lye, lieHinnin:,; life 
.1 deep eliesinnl the first years .and liiril 
ly tinaiin;.^ .a li.^ht hlne ,L;ra\- tow.irds its 
later life 'llie iie\t li.iuk is the i^os- 
liawk. a powerful li.iwk. L.ast id' all, 
eountiiiH from the ri.nlil. is the I'ooper 
Ii,iwd< 'litis IS the worst of the whole 
erowil as lar as ehiekeiis are enuia-rned 
Thesi' liltk- folk .ire si, assi-rti\e, 

'I he l.asi i;roii|i of hirds .are ,i few of 
our most roiimiiin hirds I'leuinnint; .at 



llie rii^hl is the ( lloli White I ijU.aik 
We Used to hear ihem in the nei.yhljor- 
iiin lots hefore our we.altli\' residents 

shaiiii ed the llelds .and turned them 

into widf links. The second liird from 
the riyln is the ruffed .yroiise. a uolile 
liirif .and notwit'asl.andint; there are 
often more liimtca's th.in hirds. some 
mana.ne to survive. When the hunters 
.yet through with these hirds the winter 
descends on them and tries its hest 
to extenninate them. 

I'liis senseless treatment of the ^.anie 
hirds has driven awa\' half a dozen of 
onr hirds. whieh. with .a hllle n-.ason- 
a'lle treatment. mi>;hl li.a\e Idled the 
wamds to iwerllowany .and ,i;i\c-n ever\ 
one ,a chance to eat a .name hird now 
.and then without .irreat los, li, the 
w..,,ds. 

'1 he third to the riyhl is ihe ia-oi\. a 
heantiful .ind imicli .ihiised hird We 
lieat iiiiii as thoimh he were a I'hin.i- 
m.in I'ndiaaie.ath is the crow's rel.a- 
tue. the hlue j.iy. Me is heantiful. ,al- 
thouijli .1 little coarse .\fter his l.aiM 
suinnier killing little hirds ,ind suekiiiy 
e.n.t's and iniitatin.t> the hawks, in the 



winter he conies about the farms he,t;- 
.i^in.y for a few .yraius of corn. 

Xe.xt comes the woodcock. I sup- 
pose his eyes are set in the hack of 
his head so that they may not get in 
the mud as he rummages in the swaini)s 
anil also so that he inav see his 
enemies, (1 wonder game birds don't 
lia\e exes in the hack of their heads 
like school teacilers. ) A little more 
e\olulion .and the birds will arrive 
there I lia\e .a friend who h.is eyes 
like .1 woodcock, and when he rides 
in the cars he can look out of the 
xvindows i.n both sides of the car 
without turning his head. It was a 
'O'eat convenience to him when tr.ivel- 
ing r.ipidl\ through Italx, lie looks 

imt unlike a w Icock, Hut he has 

studied .art and w.is a line sculptor and 
modelled in ela\ instead of poking in 
the mud like .a waiodcock, 

1..ISI of all is the wood duck. We 
see it along the liorders ol sne.a n'; 
in smniner. The variety of naluie is 
.isiiinishing .Some days the Lord must 
ha\e been in .a jocose humor and .ig.iin 
in ,1 grimly, dramatic state of mind, 

— R, 11 I!, 




till MILK X W XX , 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



69 



QUir (il^ (EFuirtrni. 




I II I I M.n I, \ I I. , \i I \i I \ I " ii"l:i I 



^i-*' ISTORS to our ancient town 
It-I ""^ un frequently return from 
>^|J their wanderings with many in- 
quiries ahout tlie old cemetery 
tliey have discovered on tlie 
east side of the main street, a short dis- 
tance south of the church. 

The ground was set apart for burial 
purposes at three separate times. The 
central portion was in u.se in February, 
1665 or twenty-five years afler llie 
settlement of the town, and bow much 
e:ir!ier is unknown. .\ path led to il 
from the hig'nway through land addfd 
by the town in 1692 by purchase from 
Joseph Barnes. The eastern half acre 
in the rear was sold to the Ecclesiasti- 
c.'d Society in 1707, liy Corral Case. 
Here for two centuries our fathers 
buried their dead, borne hither on the 
vill.is^e bier, the bell tolling a solemn 
knell as the bearers ascended the nar- 
row path and left their loved ones 
where now 

"Their name, their years, spelt by 

the unlettered muse. 
The place of fame and elegy supply. 
And many a hol\- text around she 

strews. 
That leach the rustic moralist to 

die!" 



i bese frail memorials changed with 
ihe varying fashion of the da\ from 
the rough stone bearing only the 
initial letters of the names of the ile.id 
to that peculiar form we find in ever\ 
old cemeter\, the inscriiition decorated 
by precisely the same side border and 
surmounted by the same strangely 
sculptured cherub. This variety seems 
lo have had a common origin to which 
imich rese.arcli has not revealed llie 
chic. The hour-glass and scythe. 
cr(">ssbf)nes, grinning skulls and other 
ghastly symbols of death you will not 
find here, but instead the hopeful though 
grotesque emblems of a life beyotind the 
grave. A favorite form of decoration 
w.as that of a coffin from which the 



The frailty 
a leaf or 

intcrmeiUs 
vears, and 



It 



s|)irit rises as a flame, 
life was symbolized by 
fe.idier. 

riure li.i\e been no 
the cemetery for many 
presents nuich the s.amc appearance 
lh,-il it did fifty years ago. N'ormer resi- 
dents in our village who return lo visit 
ihe scenes of liicir childhood will miss 
most of all the old g:ilew,-iy of l'".g\ptian 
architecture, modeled .iftir tli.it ol the 
Cirovc street cemetery in New Haven, 
substituting, however, for the winged 



globe, emblem of di\ inily, the words 
.\IK.\lF.NTO MORI. Monuments are 
erected to the memory of four of the 
pastors of the church, to Rev. Samuel 
Hooker the second pastor. Rev. Samuel 
Whitman the third. Rev. Timothy Pit- 
kin the fourth, and Rev. Joseph Wash- 
burn ihe si.xth, wdio was buried at sea. 
The oldest .stone having a date stands 
on the north side of the .ground close 
to the fence, and bears the inscription 



The 







S S : B 


lest reads 


.\ 


No 8 
i68s 

S 




AG 


B jh 




16 


88 


which comes 






Sll 


: AC; 




.S5 


DSED 




18.7. 


i68() 



Next after 



I'rom this last inscrii)tion we learn 
that .Stephen Hart, son of Deacon 
Stephen, a.ged 55.. deceased on the i8lh 
dav of .Sciitember, 1689. .Mso a stone 
inscribed 

17,?,^ 
S II 
AG 7-' 
informs us that Stephen Hart, son of 
the last named Stephen, died in 1733. 



70 



FARI\IINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




i;k\i:i,- u. \\i:\\ oi' •■riiK old iKMO'ioin ■ \-\:n\\ im; cxri:. 



*l It-re lies intcrrd ye H(>il\ 

of ye Revd. Mr. Saimiel 

Whitman, ye late Learned 

antl Piuus Pastor of ye i>t 

church in I-'armington who 

departed this life July ye: ,vst 

A. Dni 1751 in ye 75'th : year 

of his age 

Here also lies interred 

ye Body of Mrs. Sarah 

Whitman, ye pious consort 

& Relict of ye Rev. Mr. 

Samuel Whitman who 

departed this lifi- .Sept. 

loth 1758, in \e 7olh ye.ir 

of her Age. 

Rev. Samuel Hooker. 

The Second Minister of {'annul 

Died in the .^7th year of his 

P.-istorate \ov. (1. ii")7. a.yed 

ahout 64 years. He wa^ 

the Son of Rev. Thoma^ I In 

The h'irst Minister of llarlfi.rd 

His widow ?dar>' Willetl Hooker 

married Rev. Thoin.is I'.uckini^li.ini 

of Norwalk, Conn., died June -Mill 

17IJ, and was there liinied 

This monunu-iit i-. ere. in] 1 

descendants in 1805. 




IN ■■TiiR 01.1) ( i;mi:i i:k\ ." 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAITTTFUL IFOMES. 



71 













r-*.^ 



(lU.W I-: 111' ,MliS AN\A IICIOKKK 




:l;\\i: 111' Ml.'. nWlKI, lilMIU.in (.Vu(<- cuiUms head mi slow). 




aged 72. On the nortli siile of the 
path, not far frnni the entrance to tlie 
cemetery, a stone is erected "In memory 
of .Mr. Matthias Leaming Who hars gott 
lu-yimil the reach of Parcecusion. The 
hfe of man is Vanit\'." He was one 
of tile unfortunate men who, in the 
Revohitionarv war. did not light on the 
winning side. 

Near the street, and consequently on 
the west side of the ground, a stone 
marks the last resting place of Shem, 
the son of Noah. Not to claim too 



TIIK "I'OWr.KS" SRI-riiiN 




THIS "IIOOKEIl" SECTION. 




i.:i;a\e oi' .mi:. .m\tiii\s i.i.wiim;, \ 'rmis'. 



72 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




-.;- A- ■ • -.-'■• ■.•-••< -■■■: . ■ -^^-i 

Till-; (ii.iiKsr i;i( \\ !■: :-;riiM: 



'•P? 




Till-: SKI'dNIl lil.lMSr CNWK STONI-: 







THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOIMES. 



73 



gre;it antiquity for our aucieiit Iiurlal 
ground, it is propi-r to slatr tliat Slicm 
was a negro, and tradition, wliiilicr as 
a witticism or a sneer, tells us that our 
colored brethren were here interred, so 
tliat on tile Resurrection day. when 
all the dead arose and faced the east, 
they would remain in the re.ir of the 
great congregation. 1 his must taki- 

rank with the remark matle me by a 
learned divine, in the spirit of the author 
of Hudibras, that our forefathers in 
pure contrariness buried their dead in 
this ancient ground in .i direction op- 
posed to the ritual of their ancestors. 




ere Liettilntep'rtf'heBo'fy-vg 



TheAm'iaU^ Consort of ^! 

Fi^sheeGay Es<f, I? ^ 
u£^ She -was ihe Cr own an J .?^ j 
, Vt, ' Deli|"ht of }ier Hai-&aii<I vj/ ' 

' (-oher jex an Orn anient; .^' 
' A tenevolent Frind v ai^;^: >V 
Exemplary Chr'jfiantLlv^ ^i*< 

E <ju jy Lamen'te?! oo ttfe'/7J" " 

of Octi:.r7-jo.Jr,!!he^:'^. 






i:U \\ K OK MliS. IMIEBK llAY. 








( )n the contrary, in probably every old 
cemetery in Xew England, they inva- 
riably placed the headstone facing the 
highway, (hat its inscription might be 
read by the passing traveller, and the 
footstone directly behind it. caring little 
whether the rising or the setting sun 
shone on the memorial of the dead; for 
they believed in their simple faith, that 
through the almighty power of God 
"the hour is comin.g. in the which all 
that are in the graves shall hear bis 
voice, and shall come forth; they tiial 
have done good unto the resurrection of 
life; and they that have done evil, 
unlo the resurrection of damnation." 
Julius G.\y. 



OR WE OF Mi:s ,\l Vl: til \ \ll\ 



74 



FARMTXGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



The fnllnwiny r]iilaii!i^ n|i]»':ir in tile 
"old cemetery" : 

In nirinf)r\ I'f 
Rev. .l..^,•|,ll \\'aslil)iini A.M. 
I'Dr tell year^ 
pasliir 
of the C'hnreh nf Christ 
in l'"aniiin{;lnn 
( )ver whieh he was nnlained 
May 7, 1795 
He died at sea on his 
passage to Charlestown, S. C. 
Dec. J5, iHos. 
Aged 39. 



;:, Doe'" Thomas,, 

: rA-ntherWI-io ; • W 






Wi^Tfi'^'^T'.-sii 






I.L W I, III liU. ■\ llil.M \, 




.\s a preacher 
earnest, serious, inslnictive. 

.\s a p.istnr 
f.ailhfnl .mil atTeclimiale. 

unwearied in lci\e. 

hlanieles in lil\\ 
and of winnin.n in.inners. 
Me w.is loved and re\ rred In iiU'ii 
■and honored of (ind in luniing 
main lo ri.yhleousness. 



.S.arah h. TuHiill 

i83o-i8,Sj 
liuried at (lreeii])ort 1.. I. 
I'.rected hy her pupils. 



.\\ 01.0 1,1.1. i.i; \\ I.. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



75 



Rev. Samuel Hooker 

Tlie Second Minister of Farniington 

Died in the 37tli year of his 

Pastorate Nov. 6, 1697 — aged 

about 64 jears. He was 

the son of Rev. Thomas Hooker 

riie First minister of Hartford. 

His widow Marj' Willett Hooker 
married Rev. Thomas Buckingham 
of Xorualk Conn, Died June -'4th 
171-', and was tliere buried. 

I Ins iihiiiiiiiiciil is r/-|-i7,'i/ /m' his 
itrsi.i'iu!anls lit iSf)j. 

Sarah A.. 
Daughter of 
Solomon & 
Mary E. Cowles 
Died Oct 19, 1853 

Aged 25 years. 
I'licrc is a calm for 
Those who zccrp. 
.1 rest for n'l'i/ry />'/- 

grinis found: 
They softly lie. ami 

Szvcetly sleef, 
Lozk.' ill the groiiiuT 

On a double stone is the following :- 
In memory of 
Gideon Cowdes 
who died Oct. 1st 
A.D. 1802, in the 
55th year of 
his age. 
In memory of 
Eimice, Relict of 
Gideon Cowles, 
wdio died Nov. 26 
A.D. 1802 in the 
55th year 
of her age: 

Sacred to the memory of 
Mrs. Belinda Norton, consor'. 
of i\Ir. Romania Norton, 
who died in child-bed. 
Feby 20th A.D. 1792, in the 
22nd year of her age. 
This luonunient is erected 
by her affectionate husband. 
//' conjugality, fidelity, 
innocence Sr youth 
could liave arrested 
the shafts of death. 
Surely Belinda had not died. 
Ichabod Porter Norton 
died May 13, 1813 
.\ged 21 years. 
.S'lV^f mortal sie=e the transient hour, 
linfrove each nioiiient as it thes. 
Life's a short Suiiinier, man a tloze'r, 
He dies, Alas hoza soon he dies. 

Abigail Porter 
died Dec. 28, 1815 

Aged 76 years. 
Lonely and painful zmis her bed. 
Faith ivas her great support 
Converse zcith Cod her daily bread 
His grace, her last resort. 



In 
Memory of 
Xodiah Bird 
wltn was killed 
In .in insane person 
May 17, 1S35. 

This moiunuenl 
is erected by lihal 
afTection in meiuory of the 

Rev. Timothy Pitkin, 
who died July 8, 181 1 : 
.in the 86tli year of his age. 

ffe ?e(i.s I'astor of the Church of Christ 
ill Tarniiiigton thirty-three years. Tor 
zoaiit (ij health he zeas then dismissed 
from his Pastoral relation and liz'ed the 
rest of his days in retirement, .lie zeas 
a faithful affectionate evangelical and 
distinguished Minister of the Cosfcf He 
died in the delightful hopes of a .;;/(<- 
riiins iiiiortality enjoying the support oj 
that lieligion that he had Preached 

"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is 

the death rif his saints." 



Zbc Gb08t. 



When we approach the sunset of our 
lives, and the long shadows and the 
chill (if the dew warns that tlie niglu 
is approacliing we begin to be more in- 
terested in tliat place, where we shall 
lay our useless body after the life has 
fled. Sometimes it seems as though it 
were better to give over the old hu^k 
of the soul to the God of Fire, that 
he may devour it utterly but there 
stands the patient earth, and seems to 
say "did I not give you this body, and 
is it not right that you should return 
it again to me?" 

As we walked through the "old Farni- 
ington cemetery," there were many 
epitaphs wliere the touch of grief has 
not faded although a hundred years or 
so have gone by. After reading the 
words of praise on most of the stones, 
we were impressed to find a lonely 
little stone on the grave of a young wo- 
man, and into the lines of the name a 
lichen had grown of a color that was 
like old gold. It was as though natu'-e 
wanted to give her quiet tribute to the 
person beneath. There are moments 
when life seems long and almost hope- 
less and we look forward with almost ;i 
longing to that tinal rest which will onl\- 
be broken by the voice of God. These 
long lines of stones are like the backs 
of books, with only the titles and the 
dates thereon, and yet we know that 
if we could read them, they wnuld be 
the most interesting of subjects, the 
disappointments and aspirations of hu- 
man lifes. 



A X Tin: Lar!.\ part (jf the cent- 
^^«y ury which has just closed, 
^^r niuch h'arniingtiin capital was 
invested in cnnuuercial enter- 
prises. 'I lie ships were wont to 
touch first at the islands of the South Pa- 
cific and taking on board a cargo of seal 
skins, to sail thence to Canton and Cal- 
cutta, where the furs were exchanged 
for teas, silks, nankeens, and fur china- 
ware marked in gold with the names of 
families who could afford such luxuries. 
One of their captains was Ebenezer Mix, 
conmionly known as Captain Eb. He 
was a son of "Squire Mix," one of the 
old time worthies of the town, wdio.se 
house still stands close to the old bury- 
ing ground on the south, a position 
peculiarly favorable for ghostly adven- 
lures. It was a time when all men be- 
lieved, not only that the dead lived in 
a future state, but that they could re- 
turn in ghostly forms to the i)lace of 
their sepulture as a warning to the 
living. 

Sailors as wont to be superstitutious. 
Their lonely lives on the mighty ocean 
fosters the feeling. A ghost had been 
seen several times in the old burying 
ground, and Captain Eb was not sur- 
prised, when, looking from his chamber 
window one dark night, he saw a tall 
form clothed all in white and having 
two great wdiite wings wdiich it waved 
at intervals in a ghostly fashion. 
Captain Eb shouted to the apparition to 
be gone, but it moved not. He then 
proceeded to exorcise it with the rich 
expletives which sailors are wont to 
bring home from lands beyond the sea. 
The waving of the ghostly wings 
was the onlj- reply. .\s a last resort 
Captain Eb seized an old queen's arms, 
well loaded, which had seen service in 
Revolutionary days, and taking deliber- 
ate aim at the ghost, blazed aw-ay. 
When the sirioke disappeared the ghost 
was no longer to be seen. The next 
morning, when the sun lighted up the 
scene of the midnight encounter, there 
appeared one of the tall white slabs 
which were just begiiming to take the 
place of the old red gravestones, and 
at its foot lay the remains of Deacon 
l^Iijah Porter's old white goose. 

J G 



The "new cemetery" on Canal Street 
contains many interesting memorials. 
The monument erected in rememl)rance 
of The Tunxis Indians, has sculptured 
on one face Mrs. Sigourney's tribute to 
the 'red man." A full description and 
a picture of this monument appears else- 
wdiere in this work, in .1/r. Gay's article 



76 



FARMIXGTOM. CONNECTICUT. 



IITl "III,' I IIILVIS I IllliilllS." /■'liiillr. tlic 

Mcliili lu'.nrn. will) was dnnviird in the 
"Cciitrr I'.asiii." in 1S41. is l)iirif(| Iktc. 
and tlic ,i;ra\i' snital)l\ niarkrd A 
liealltiflll, llion.uli simple .yranitr nmnn 
niriU show- iIk- last rrslinK |ihu'c nf 




i;l: \\ 1: III' 1)1!, NOAII I'dHTIlIt, 



Dr X'liah I'.niii-. and ill.- .L;ravr of Mis> 
Sarah I'urlrr is coMTi-d 1)\ a Imri/nntal 
slal) III |inrr vvijit.' niarhK- sinipK 
wnrdrd as fi.lli.vvs: 
Sarah I'lirln- 

I In 111 

An.ynsI id, iSi:; 

Dlrd 

I'\'l)niar\ 17. Iijnii. 



The meninrv of the snldiiis who iravc 
ihi-ir li\i's for tlicii' cnniiti-y in the war 
of the krhellioii is |)er])el uated h\ a 
shaft of Conncdicitt hmwii slum — in- 
scrilic'd 




lilt: S(lLI)lt:u'S MONTMIONT. 

Cettvsi'.i'ki; 

l-a-ect.d 

July A. I). 1S7J 

To the iucnior\ of 

Vlll.lNTKKU SdI IHKKS 

tniin this Villa,!^!'. 
Serc.F-ANts. 

RiCHAKII CnWLES 

Watson W. VVhapi.f.s 
Jkuim I Ml Kki.i.i- V 



Privates 

Wll.MAM 11. MlTTDN 
Cll ARIKs I I, Row 1-. 

Siiv^riiii III r. S. . /. 

They i'liTV //(,'))■ livcx for 

iiiiJ C iHiiilry ami Tri'cdnin. 

An'tiktam. 

diMiMin ( ji \ipiiim; 

ALr.i:i(T !•'. 1 pidmi'sox 

111 1. 1 1 Kopek 

Ai.Diui S. I'"rost 

Smith S. Ta'ii.or 

//I'Te A/.r/i III,- hnr.Y '.^■lui sink In irsl. 
I!y ,ill llicir i,'iiiiliy's 7i'i.s7;r.< hl,\sl ' 

\\'\xi II KSIER 

llKxm- Hart 

Jiiiix 1. Ilria. 

EiiWARii De W'iii.f 

JaMES II. Cill.llKRT 
(Ikorit-: SoriiERiai.i. 

h'oRT \\'.\i;.\KR 

IIkn'rv Warren- 
I-'ri-iierk K Hooker 

(il-okl.E W. OsilDRN 

J.\Mi.s II. Skeli.ev 

Step ii EN DuRNiNti 

(I'l'il, /ly-r.v. '/•;'!' Ill,' Xuliini in riuirc. 




■\.\ii)Ni; Tin: ( i;i)\i:s" \ ia ni \i, i-m;mim:io\ woods 



THE VTLLAGK OF BEAUTIFUL lUntES. 



77 



IFarmiugtou Ut 1B3H 



Tliis articit' is reprinted entire from 
the "Ciiiiiii-cliciit Historical Collcctinns," 
by John Warner Fiarher. i)nl)lislied in 
1S38. This work is |)rohal)ly tile best 
known liistory e\er pulilished in the 
state. Its prineipal feature being a 
wood cut shi)\viny the nriin part of 
every town in tlie state, from drawings 
made by Mr. Barber "on the sfot." and 
while the work may not lie aceurate in 
ah of its statements it is most interest- 
ing, and 110 historieal hlirary. no mat- 
ter liow small, is eonsidered eomplete 
withont a cony. 

^^f ME first settlers of I-"ariiiington 
1 I were frciiii llartford, being 

^^ emigrants frnm P.oston. Xew- 
ton. and Ro.\linry. in Massa- 
chnsetts. They began the set- 
tlement in 1640. being probably attracted 
at this early period by the line natural 
meadows upon the Tun.xis or [•■arming- 
ton river. The town was incorporated 
in 1645. The land was purchased of 
the Tunxis tribe of Indians, which was 
a numerous and w.irlike tribe, by 
eighty-four proprietors, and divided by 
them and their heirs according to their 
respective interests. The township at 
the time of its incorp()rati<in was hfteen 
miles square*. Since this period hve 
new towns have been formed from it. 
vi?. : Southington. P)erliii. Bristol. Bur- 
lington, and Avon. The present length 
I if [•'armingtnn is se\'en and one-half 
miles from north to snulli. and averages 
upwards of four in breadth, 'idle town 
is situated principallv between two 
mountainous ridges which stretch fron 
X.N'.E. to S.S.W.. indented by vallies: 
the mean distance between the niomi 
t.iins is about four miles. I he eas' 
mountain, on the base of which th 
village is built, presents a mural front 
to the west, ami has two coinenient 
passes through it ; the road to Hartfor 
passing through the north, and the road 
to Middlctown passing through the 
south pass, distant from each other 
about four miles. The h'armington 
river, about 43 yards wi<le, enters 
through the west mountain from the 
northwest, and runs southeast to the 
central part of the town, where meeting 
the east mountain, it turns to an ac- 
cute angle, and runs northward through 
the town, parallel with the mountain. 
*Pcasc and Nilcs Gazetteer. 



On the east side of the east mountain, 
opi'.osite a peak called Rattlesnake 
1 1 ill, rises the Quinnipiac or Xorth 
Haven River. The .great flat, or nat- 
ural meadow, from the river westward, 
from 1 '•.; to J miles broad, is alluvial, 
a rich loam and sand, and is one of 
the most fertile tracts in the state. 

The above is a view- of the central 
part of the village, showing the Con- 
gregational and Methodist churches. 
'I he luain street, on which they are 
luiill, e-Ntends about two miles from 
iiorili to south, on an elevated plain 
from 50 lo 75 feet above the level of 
the river, the course of wdiich is seen 
by the row of trees standing below tin- 
level of the houses. The New Haven 
and Northampton Canal, passes be- 
tween the river and the houses, il > 
course being elevated above the level 
of the river. There are about one hun- 
dred handsome dwelling houses within 
the limits of something more than a 
mile, some of which are elegant edifices. 
The Academ\ in the village, and the 
i\Iethodist Church, (recently erected.) 
both -sand ne.'ir the Congregational 
Church. I he above view was 

taken from Rov.uil I till, a singular ele- 
vation in the me.idows, about half a 
mile distant from the main street. Ibis 
hill is a natiind curiosity; it covers, 
about 12 acres; it rises abruptly to the 
height of about 60 feet, and is nearly 



circular in form. It was once probably 
an island in the center of a lake which 
covered the whole of the present mead- 
ow.* 

*These meadows are now occasional- 
Iv overflowed. During the freshet, 
February 14th, jSoy. a cry of distress 
was heard by some persons on the 
bank of the ri\er. Pomeroy Strong and 
George Treadvvell. wi'ut about live 
o'clock P. M. in a canoe to relieve the 
sufferers. They proceeded to Round 
Hill, where they heard the cries of a 
man named Bebe, to the northwest, 
where they found a span of horses ami 
part of a wa.gon, and a man bv the 
name of Atw.iter. in a bunch of wil- 
lows, in the middle of a current, abou' 
two rods from the shore; and with a 
good deal of difficulty they .eot Atwater 
into the canoe. .As they were passing 
a tree, Atw ter in a fright seized one 
of the branches; in doing this he over- 
set the boat. He succeeded in climb- 
ing the tree, while the others swam to 
the hill where they called for help. 
.About 9 o'clock nr. Eli Todd, William 
Hill and Joel Warner manned a canoe, 
and alternately drawing and navigating 
it, reached the hill, .\fter a number of 
attempts to relieve Atwater, a bridge 
of ice was formed from the tree to the 
shore on which he was enabled to pass. 
Todd, Hill and Warner sailed in the 
course of the road, northwest in search 




K.VIiMIN'dTOX KUOM "UOl'Nl) HILL," lih:i'KOI)UlHI> FKOM Ji.UtHlillW lllsTl}l;l<\lh 
COLLECTIONS OF CUSXICCTICVT, PUBLISHED IX lS:i7. 



78 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT 



of BL-bf; t}iL-.\ found tliL- current so 
rapiii that tlie\ were obliged to return 
uithi.ut effeetiuK their object, thnu^h 
they came within spealsing distance, 
and exliorted liim to be silent througli 
tlie niglit, except when the\ should lal! 
to him; his cries before had been dis- 
tinctly hearri Ihrongli the tnwn I'or near- 
ly three miles in length; he remiini'rl 
on a cake i>f ice aliont twi> n.(N in 
length, throughout the night. 

At first dawn of day the pe.ipU- ,[>- 
senihled; ;i flatdiottomed boat was [irn- 
cured. and manned liy Mrastus Ga\-, 
Tim., thy R,.,,i, Jr.. Timothy Cowlcs. 
.Sidney \\;nKu ..rtli ;iiid Henry Wood- 
ruff, who relieved I'.rhe fi-..)ii his peril- 
ous position, and brought tin- others 
on shorc- 

Al thr lir^l settlemenl of ihr toun. 
I\"mid Mill was lixeil on ;is a central 
point of rleparture in all measurements 
in laying out ibe di\isions of LluiI 

1 he town Is bomided X l)\ A\on. 
K. Iiv ILirtford ;ind Herlni. VV. by 
Bristol and Ihndington. ami .S. b\ 
.Soulhington. 'fhe centr.il p.irl is ;iboul 
lo miles west from I firtf inl. I he 
number (d" iiilriliitants is .about J.ooo, 
■and has not \;iriei| nnicb in the last 
thirty \e.irs. 

I he hrsi minister in this phare w.as 
Roger Xi-wton. seltleil m I(i47-S ami 
who oftici.iled nine \e;irs, ;uid then re- 
moved to .\lilf,,rd 'fhc seconil was 
.Saimu-I Hooker, who u;is ordained in 
105S. ,111,1 .licd in l(.(|7, S;imiiel Wliit- 
in.aii w;is ord;iiiied the iir\t minister in 
170I1. He oflici.ited 43 \ears, .and died 
in 1751. The next \ ear Timoth\ Pit- 
kin, from [''.ast H.artfonl w;is ordained, 
he officialeil until i;,^^, ,i„,| ^vas then 
disniis.scd .at bis own re(|nesl He w;is 
succeeded by Allen Olcoll, in 1 ;,si7. who 
in 170.S w.as sncceederl In |oseph Wash- 
burn. 

'Ibis town li;is ;i( present ,1 school 
fund. Ill-sides what is received from the 
Stale, .amounting lo iie,arl\ .$10,000, the 
.iniimil interest of which is .applied to 
the ]i,iymiiit of teacliris. In iO(,5-(i iIr. 
town \o|i(| ,1 cert.ain sum for the siip- 
I'orl of ,1 tciicber for h;ill ;i nar, ;iiid 
in the diieclioiis lo thr eommiiice for 
pr.Muring one. ;i clause w.as .addeil, 
■thai lu- should be so gificd as |., be ;ible 
nccisioiKillv (o ^lep into iIh- pnlpil ■■ 

' I be native Indi.ans iiiiisl li;i\ e been 
very nnmeroiis, in .and .about ihe town 
when the Ills! s, -tilers .■ii-ri\e.l 1 be 
hnming grounds ;iiid fishing pfaees 
were peculiarly .ill ractive. Their bury- 
ing grounds were on two s.inrK hills. 
one on the west side ,,1 the gie;il me;id 
ow. .-iiid one oil Ihe e.-isl, and near Ihe 
center ..f the present village. In ex- 
c;iv;iting the canal. m,-iny of llu-ir bones 
were discovered, ;ind soiiu- domestic 
articles, as cups, Xc. In it«,\ n eipin- 
miltee was chosen by the town, to des- 



ignate houses to be fortified against 
them. It appears that seven such houses 
uere Used for that purpose. The doors 
wen- m;ide of double pl.iiik. united b\- 
n.iils ilriven closel\- together, so as to 
lire\ent their being cut through Ij\ 



hatchets. In 17^3 the nuiuber of In- 
dians w;is about 100, a considerable 
number liaving remo\-ed in a bodv to 
Stock-bridge, .Mass.. and another divi- 
sion of them have since remo\ed to that 
place.' 



:l\ AhS— IN lUSINKss ONLY 




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, 'x*"»i ..s, 
'tis 01 I M i.K\ ri:.\.\i. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL KOMES. 



79 




Much of the beauty of Farmington is 
made by its natural features, its moun- 
tains and river. But like so many Xcw 
England villages, it is the men and wo- 
men that make the real character of the 
towns. As generation after generation 
passes, it begins to be realized that cer- 
tain individuals — a deacon, a minister, 
a school teacher, a farmer, or a doctor — 
have unselfishly kept the towns pointed 
toward healthy and lofty ideals. These 
are the heroes wliose deeds are unre- 
corded (except in our hearts), who have 
been the back bone of New England, 
of the west and ultimately of the world. 

\o matter hmv li.inl the conditions 
iif life may have been tliese ancestors 
have always stood by education, and in 
turn education has stood bv them. 
Farmington. like all college towns, has 
had a peculiar literar\ life of its own. 
.\nd over everything and througli every- 
thing, as the Indian Sunniier light 
bathes everything in a golden hue. has 
been the quiet but powerful inlluence 
of such men and women a? Deacon 
Simeon Hart, and Miss Sarah Porter. 
These pictures, and the list is necessa- 
rily incomplete, represent every many ac- 
tivities of life. The loved and respected 
preachers, the faithful doctors and 
teachers, the musicians and the public 
and private characters are all good men 
and true. 

We often wonder if our own genera- 
tion will be able to fill the places of these 
worthies. We feel pretty sure they will 
not in the same way but in other ways, 
and we all believe that the influence of 
the really good and unselfish never dies. 

A',-f. Xoah Porter. IIO.: Rcz: Noah 
f'ortrr. D.D.. LL.t).. rrcsidrnl of Yale 
I'liircisify: Miss Saruh Porter. A town 
would be counted fortunate which was 
the birthplace and residence of any one 
of the above named persons. Farming- 
ton is thrice blest. Dr. Porter was born 
and larsely educated in this town, and 
was gladly called at the age of twenty- 
five to the pastorate of its church in 
1806. The reasons assigned fcir the 
call are that "this society, from personal 
acquaintance with Mr. Noah Porter, Jr., 
twins one of us, and from sufficient ex- 
perience of iiis ministerial gifts and 
qualifications, are satisfied that he is 



eminently qualified for the work of the 
Gospel ministry." Those "gifts and 
qualifications" were signally shown dur- 
ing the sixty years of his ministry, not 
(inly in his church and town, but also 
throughout the state and denoniin,ition. 
His son, wdio w;is born in 181 1, in 
Farmington. has linked the name of this 
town with the fame of the great univer- 
sity which is known wherever educa- 
tion and civilization e.xtend. He died 
in l8y2. 

Miss Sarah Porter* 
*See the article on "Miss Porter's 
Scliool." 

John Ireadzvetl Norton was born 
April 28, T795, and, like a surprising 
number of tlie nuirc distinguished of 
his townsmen, was descended from one 
of the settlers known as the "Seven 
Pillars." While a young man he en- 
gaged in mercantile and other business 
in Albany, amassing for those da} s a 
large fortune, and was a president of the 
New York Central Railroad of. that time 
Not long after 1830 he removed the lit- 
tle red liciuse uf his grandfather, Ciov. 
Treailwell. and. building a new house 
more retired fnmi the main road, turn- 
ed acres of waste land into beautiful 
lawns and gardens. His few leisure 
hours were largely devoted to the pub- 
lic good. Helping provide a site for 
Miss Porter's school, and, with the late 
James Cowles, Esq., establishing the 
waterpower which brings prosperity to 
Unionville, were among the enterprises 
which prospered in his hands. Of com- 
manding presence and address, and of 
genial manners, he was conspicuous in 
all assem1)lies. lie died June I.?, l86y. 

liiheard son of John T. Norton, Jisq., 
was born in Albany, February 12. 1823, 
and died in this town .\pril 8, 1804. Ik- 
graduated from Yale College in the 
class of 1S44. .'Vfter several years of 
business life in .\lbany, employed in 
railroad matters and in stove manufac- 
turing, he returned to his old home in 
h'armington about 1857. Here he de- 
voted himself to stock raising, especially 
of alderneys, and established the first 
creamery of the st;ite. He was .an 
authority on entomology, and rendered 
valuable assistance to the public library. 



' Deacon Simeon Hart was born in 
Burlington, Nov. 17, 1795, and gradu- 
ated at Yale College in the class of 1823. 
His life's labor was that of a school- 
teacher, first of district schools, then as 
principal of the Farmington .'\cademy 
from 1823 to 1835, and finally until his 
death, April 30, 1853, as principal of a 
boarding school for boys. He was a 
most delightful and successful instruc- 
tor, honored and reverenced by all who 
came under his care. He was also the 
principal founder and first treasurer of 
the F'armington Savings Bank. His pet 
diversion was agriculture, born with his 
reading of Virgil, and stimulated by 
the unbounded enthusiasm of his early 
pupil. Prof. John Pitkin Norton. 

fJijah Leieis was born in Granby 
Conn., in 1811. and came to Farming- 
ton at the age of 11 years. He was a 
pupil of Deacon Simeon Hart. F'or a 
time he sold clocks in the .\ilirondacks 
and Canada during the winter, then 
was a farmer in this town until his 
death. He was one of the party in the 
first canal boat that sailed through the 
F'armington Canal. The cupboard is 
still in existence which Mrs. Lewis filled 
with pies for that memorable occasion. 

Erastns .S'eott. the grandson of the 
grandson of Edmund Scott, one of the 
settlers of the town, was born N'ov. 6 
1787. His house still stands on the land 
belonging to his ancestor Edmund. He 
was unusually prominent in the public 
life of the villa.ge, filling the offices of 
h'irst Selectman. First Assessor, Collec- 
tor of 'I'axes, and Constable for a ItJUg 
term of years, indeed his jialriarcbal 
sway embraced pretty nuich all m.atters 
of pulilic utility. His poi)ularity was un- 
bounded and lu-i'drd no hel]) from the 
w-ays of modern politicians. He was 
universally known and addressed as 
Capt, Scott, a title more valued in the 
olden time than that of any doctorate 
wdiether of laws, theology or philosophy. 
He died June 28, 1873. 



*This sketch written by Mr. Julius 
Gay a|)peare<l in a series of articles in 
the I'armingtou Magazine. 



80 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




Itl'.V. N'OAll I'nlrrKU, 11,11, 



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-MISS S-M(.\ll rdUTICIi. I'rrMcl.iil d ^.ll.■ I iiiMTsity. 

i':ii\\-\nii Miin'DN. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



Egbert Cmvlcs. great grandson of the 
grandson of John Cowles. a first set- 
tler of the town, and one of the "Seven 
Pillars of the church," was born April 
4. 1785. He was conspicuous in the 
public life of the town, long a judge 
(■f probate, and filled the offices by which 
be could be the most useful to his fel- 
low men. A town or society meeting 
for a long series of years, which did not 
listen to his addresses of wisdom, was 
imknown. His knowledge of olden- 
time life and affairs was exceptional 
Closing his eyes, .ind abstracting him- 
self from all things present, he would 
pour forth the most minute and vivid ac- 
count of his early davs. The Ecclesias- 
tical Society arranged for an appro- 
priate celebration of hi> one-hundredth 
birthday, but he passed away a few 
uion'hs before the arrival of the day 

Samuel Smith Cm^'lcs was born in 
Farmington, Dec. 9, i<Sr4. At the age 
of 17 he began learning the business of 
a printer in a book publishing concern 
at Windsor Vt. In i.S,^/ he was a 
jiuirneyman printer in Boston, A year 
later he began to edit and print the 
"Charter Oak," an anti-slavery paper in 
Hartford. He returned to his native 
village in 1S43 and after the death of 
Deacon Simeon Hart, became the treas- 
urer of the Farmington Savings Ban!; 
wliich prospered greatly under his 
management. In all public affairs, he 
was a firm and unwavering defender of 
what he deemed the right. He died 
Dec. 5. 1872. 

Ur. .-Isalicl '1 hoinpson. descended from 
the first settler. Thomas Thompson, one 
of the "Seven Pillars of the church," 
was born April 16, 1790, and died May 
2. 1866. After graduating at Yale in 
1710 he was a private tutor in the fam- 
ily of Lawrence Lewis. Esq., nephew 
of General Washington, at Woodlawn, 
Va. In 1815 he studied medicine with 
Dr. Eli Todd, and was a student in the 
medical college in New Haven prepara- 
tory to his life work as physician of this 
\ illage. He was conservative in his 
principles and taste. Dr. Johnson was 
his model of literary greatness, and 
President Dwiglit his admiration in all 
things. 

Dr. Edi^'ord !!'. Cnrrhigtoii. a son 
of Allyn Carrington, was born in the 
year 1806, in Woodbridge, Conn., 
whence he came to Farmington in 1826 
From then until his death in 1852. he 
served his town as physician. His 
portrait was taken from an old minia- 
ture and represents Dr. Carrington as 
he looked when he first came to [^"arm- 
ington. 

Rev. 'fliumiis Keiulall Pesscndeii, son 
of Joseph and Sibyl Jane (Holbrook) 
Fessenden, was born in Brattleboro, Vt , 



Sept. 10, 1813, and graduated at Wil- 
liams College in 1833. He was pastor 
of Congregational churches in Norwich 
Conn.. Homer, N. Y., and Ellington. 
Coim. In his later years he was emi- 
nently successful in raising funds for 
the Industrial School for Girls in Mid- 
dletown, and for the Hampton Institute 
in Virginia. He died in this village 
Jan. iS, 1894, and is buried in the new 
cemetery, which he had done much to 
enlarge and beautify. 

Mr. Henry Mysntl. a descendant of 
Deacon Joseph Mygatt of Hartford, 
the immigrating ancestor of the family, 
was born in Wethersfield. Jan. 27. 1S04. 
Marrying, in r8,?o. a granddaughter of 
Capt. Judah Woodruff, the famous 
builder of this village, he built .a house 
on her ancestral estate just north of 
the newly erected house of Mr. John 
T. Norton, Here he died, Jan. 9, 1882. 
He was a farmer, and especially a horti- 
culturist. His recreation was music. 
For many years he played the flute in 
the choir dnring the days when all 
manner of orchestral instruments had 
not .given place to the organ. 

CImrles L. W'liitman was born May 
26, 1827. He and his father for many 
years kept a tavern in Farmington, in 
the days when there was much teaming 
through this town. The place was fa- 
mous in all tiie region, partly on ac- 
count of Mrs. Whitman's excellent pies 
and cake. When one"s ancestors have 
been among those who serve the pul)- 
lic with care and courtesy, it seems to 
become second nature in the descen- 
dants to be very polite. This might ex- 
plain Mr. Whitman's genial manners, 
but I am inclined to believe it was 
more a special goodness of heart. He 
was also for many years one of the di- 
rectors of the bank and an appraiser. 

Jolin Edivard Cowles was born No- 
vember 4, 1819, and died February 22, 
1898. Francis IVinthro/' CoK'les was 
born November 13, 1810, and died 
March 7, 1868. Their father. Martin, 
kept a drug store, where stands Miss 
Adgate's summer house, or near there. 
Thev s]>enl their lives as well-to-do 
farmers in this village. 

Maine Timothy Cowles was second 
son of Col. Isaac Cowdes, whose home 
was where .\nson Porter now resides. 
His brothers were Esquire Horace, 
Capt. Richard, Solomon, 2d, and Sam- 
uel Hooker. The last named was a 
Yale graduate and died in his young 
manhood, greatly respected. The busi- 
ness life of Maj. Timothy was passed 
in farming. He budded the well-known 
Stone Store which was destroyed by 
fire July 21, 1864. He also owned the 
large hotel building, now the place of 



the Porter Seminary. Maj. Cowles was 
a broad minded, large hearted man. 
.Many a poor family would witness to 
his large benevolence. He loved to see 
his fellow men prosper in life and gave 
employment to very many laborers, al- 
lowing liberal wages to all. His valu- 
able life closed .A.pril 28, 1858, aged 74. 
and a good man was at rest. The mem- 
or\- of the just is blessed. 

Mr. James Cowles. son of Elijah 
Cowdes, head of the noted firm of Elijah 
Cowles & Co., himself one of the 
wealthiest men of the village, lived at 
the corner of Main and New Britain 
Streets. His store was the brick build- 
ing opposite. In the latter part of his 
life he moved into the house built by 
Gen. George Cowles and devoted him- 
self to the development of his large 
holding of real estate in Unionville, es- 
pecially of the water-power. He was 
a successful business man, conservative, 
caring little for theories and of great 
practical common sense. He was born 
April 17, 1795, and died November 20, 
1858. 

Mr. James ll'oodrntf Co2\.Jes was a 
farmer and lived on the ancestral farm 
on the west side of Main Street half way 
to Plainville. Here he was born Au- 
gust 13. 1804. and here he died Novem- 
ber 16. 1867. He will be remembered by 
most as one of the musicians of the vil- 
lage. He had a very pleasant tenor 
voice and led sometimes the choir and 
sometimes the old folks concert, then a 
nmeltv. He was also a freciueiu de- 
liater in the town meeting. 

Thomas Cozeles was son of Zenas 
Cowles. long years a merchant in the 
stcn-e on the corner of Main Street and 
road to the railroad depot. He was a 
graduate of Yale College and added the 
practice of law to farming. Cowles was 
a man of fine personal appearance, a 
ready debater and a fluent speaker. He 
served in both branches of the General 
.Assembly and was popular with his con- 
stituents. .At one time he went into 
business in the State of Ohio, but in a 
few years returned to his native town, 
where his later days were passed. His 
son, Capt. William Sheffield Cowles of 
the navy, now owns and occupies the 
Old Gate homestead on the corner. The 
old store building is doing duty as a 
laundry for the ladies' .seminary. 
Thomas Cowles died October 22. i8«S4. 
aged 75 years. Elizabeth Sheffield, his 
wife, died on the 20th two days before. 
So in death they were not divided. One 
funeral for both. 

Royal .tndre^es was the fifer for the 
Putnam Phalanx for between forty and 
fifty years. He was born Novt;niber 2, 
1807. 



82 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




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iiK.Mn i\n(:.\'ri'. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



83 



Deacon WiUiain Gay was for fully 
twenty-five years a deacon in the churcli, 
and for all his active life v\-as one of 
Farmington's most capahle business men. 
He was president of the savings bank 
and treasurer of the town through the 
trying years of the war. He died Feb- 
ruary -7. iSiSg, at the age of 84. 

Gcit. George Co'u'lcs. was the son of 
Gen. Solomon Covvles, a colonial of- 
ficer. The house with pillars, now the 
residence of James L. Covvles. was built 
for George by his father, Solomon. For 
a long time a sign was upon the front 
of his store then standing where the 
D. R. Hawley house now is. The sign 
read : George Cowles, drugs and medi 
cines. The store continued a great 
many years under his management. 
Farmington then contained very many 
military men of high rank in office. It 
was Col. George Cowles then, after- 
ward a Brigadier, then Major General, 
the highest office in the militia of the 
, State. The General w.is greatly re- 
spected by hi.s fellow citizens and justly, 
as indeed, he was a courteous gentle- 
nian r>f the olden time and a very capa- 
ble militar_\- officer. His death occurred 
January 7, i860, aged 80 years. 

Augiislits ll'iirJ was bnrn December 
4, i8ti. and died .\pril (>, i8S.l, son of 
Comfort and Plumea Ward. He was a 
merchant in New Britain in its earlier 
days. Marrying a daughter of Mr. Seth 
Cowles in 1840, he removed to this vil- 
lage and built a new house on the site 
of the old Cowles mansion. He was a 
farmer, but had much to do with the 
Farmington Savings Bank after its or- 
ganization in 1851, being one of its most 
able and efiicient directors. 

Dcacnii ntlicard Lmas Ilarl. nephew 
of Deacon Simeon, was born in East 
Haven, December 31, 1813, and died in 
this town May 15, 1876. He graduated 
at Yale College in 1836, and after teach- 
ing in New Haven and Berlin became 
associate principal in his uncle's school 
in this village. He was a successful and 
inspiring teacher, much beloved by all 
who were favored by his friendship. He 
was for many years a clireclor in the 
Farmington Savings ISank. 

Winthrof Wadsi^'ortli was born in 
1812 and was for twenty-seven years 
first selectman of the Town of Farm- 
ington. This is the longest term which 
has ever been served by any man in the 
State of Connecticut. He also repre- 
sented Farmington for six years in the 
legislature. He died in iSgi. 

Dr. Chaunccy Brown was horn in 
Canterbury, Conn. He went to Brown 
University for one year and then to 
Union College, whence he was gradu- 
ated with honor. He was a student of 



Greek, reading the Greek Testament 
with great pleasure during the remain- 
der of his life. From the medical school 
of Bowdoin he returned to Canterbury. 
In the last year and a half of the Civil 
War he was physician and surgeon in 
one of the hospitals of Washington. He 
came to Farmington about 1835 and in 
1837 married Julia M. Strong. He was 
a strenuous believer in abstinence from 
alcoholic drink and also in anti-slavery 
when both beliefs were unpopular. He 
died in 1878. 

Leonard JVinshil^. a cabinetmaker in 
Farmington for forty-four years, was 
born in Hartford in 1793 and died in 
1872. All the mahogany work of the 
Congregational Church was done by 
him. While he was working there a 
iiian from Macon, Ga., so much admired 
the railing and pulpit work that he or- 
dered a similar set for a churrh in Ma- 
con. This order was filled and the work 
done by Timothy Porter of Farmington. 
There are many houses in town pos- 
sessing pieces of furniture made by Mr 
Winship of which they are justly proud. 
The mahogany doors in the A. D. Vorce 
house were made by him. 

Hon. John Hooker was born .\i>ril 
19, 1816. His early life was spent in 
Farmington. While residing in his na- 
tive town he was ever forward in all en- 
terprises calculated to promote the wel- 
fare of society, and the best interest of 
his fellow men. He died February, 1901. 

Samuel Deiniiig in his time was one 
of the staunch citizens of this favored 
town. His occupation was farming as 
he had a large landed estate. The 
building now a postoffice was built b\ 
him, and for a period of time he en- 
gaged in trade with H. L. Bidwell. the 
firm being Bidwell & Deniing. The 
building was afterward occupied as a 
tenement. Mr. Deming was an officer 
on the staff of Gen. George Cowles (a 
brother-in-law). He look a livelv in- 
terest in the affairs of the Mendi Afri- 
cans, whose school room was the up- 
per portion of his store building. Mr. 
Deming served at times as magistrate 
and was a fearless defender of what he 
considered right. His age at the time 
of his death was 7.^ years, which oc- 
curred the 28th of April, 1871. 

Justin F. Williams was born in East 
Hartford in 1805. Coming to Farming- 
ton as a young man he engaged as 
clerk in the drug store of Gen, George 
Cowdcs and was afterward a partner, 
the firm being Cowles & Williams. 
When the stone store was completed 
Williams & Mygatt (Henry Mygatt) 
occupied it as a general store, stocked 
with dry goods, groceries and various 
"oods sold in country stoses. In after 



years Mr. Williams started a stone and 
lumber yard in Plainville. The raging 
canal was then in operation and canal 
l)oats James Hillhousc, No. I, and 
Henry Farnam carried passengers, 
wood and produce to New Haven, load- 
ing with groceries and pine lumber on 
return trip^. The stone and lumber 
\ard was on the margin of the canal 
b.isin where, near by, was the Timothy 
Steele Tavern. Mr. Wiliams was lead- 
er of the church choir in Farmington 
for many years. In T814 he was very 
efficient in caring for the Mendi Afri- 
cans. The business at the stone store 
was transferred to Cowles & Rowc 
in 1836. Mr. Williams having organized 
a compan\ (Williams, Camp & Abbe) 
and oi)ened a wholesale store for the 
sale of dry goods in New York city, so 
several of our former residents left the 
(|uiet country place for the activities and 
bustle of the city. Mr. Williams was in 
infirm health for a considerable period 
and died December 18, 1885, at the age 
of 80 years. 

John ,S'. Rice was born .-\pril S, 1816, 
and died May 10, 1885. He had been 
judge of i)rol)ate in New Haven and 
was in the State Legislature before com- 
ing to Farmington. None of us can 
forget Judge Rice, with his long white 
hair and beard. Walking among the 
shadows of the large trees neaf his 
house, with cloak and cane, one was 
reminded of tb.e stories of an elderly 
baron on his estates. I once had some 
papers drawn up by the Judge about a 
transfer of property. When I wished 
to |)ay, he replied in his large manner, 
"t am not practicing law now. but I 
am .always happy to be of any assistance 
1,1 m\ Farmington friends." He was 
always active in affairs of the town. 

Hon. Clianncey Kowc. the subject of 
this sketch, was born in l''armington. 
March 17. 1815. Concerning his boy- 
hood days there is little known, but that 
he attended the common school of the 




town and later the "Academy" or 
Simeon Hart's School must be surmised, 
as all who knew him are willing to ac- 
cord him a high place in erudition as 



84 



FARMINGTOX. CONNECTICUT. 






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•l.'AMIS W , rdUI.KS. 

.i\Mi;s w ((i\M,i;s. 
.1 \Mi:s ( iiw i.Ks. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



85 



evidenced both in his conversations and 
writings. 

At the age of twenty-one, in the year 
of 1836, he engaged in business in the 
"Old Stone Store," formerly standing 
on the site now occupied by the present 
Congregational parsonage, uitli Chaun- 
cey Deniing Cowles. who subsequently 
entered the ministry of the Congrega- 
tional Church. His place was taken by 
the father of the young divine, the new 
lirni being composed of Mr. Rowe and 
Major Timothx' Cowles. This partner- 
ship continued fiir twenty years and was 
a particularly pleasant and prosperous 
business venture. 

No better evidence of the popularity 
and esteem of the young merchant by 
his fellow townsmen is afiforded than the 
fact that at the age of thirty-two he was 
chosen to represent his native town in 
1847. considered a mark of rare dis- 
tinction in those days, when so many 
prominetit families had candidates for 
this position which had been honored 
fjy some of the most illustrious names 
in the history of the State. Speaker 
Foster of this session was in the United 
States Senate during the Civil War, 
and the President of that body during 
the impeachment trial of President An- 
drew Johnson. Chas. Chapman was a 
member from Hartford and William 
W. Platon was in tlie House from Tol- 
land. Mr. Rowe was re-elected in 18+S 
and again five years afterward in the 
session of 1853. He further served in 
the House of i860 and 1879. He was 
elected to the Senate in 1854 ,and was 
Chairman of the Committee on Educa- 
tion. It can be said of Mr. Rowe that 
he filled all the positions of legislative 
trust and responsil)ility in a faithful, 
painstaking and judicious maimer, win- 
ning the friendship, confidence and es- 
teem of his associates, reflecting credit 
upon himself and honor to the town he 
so many times represented. 

Half a centur\ or more ago Mr. 
Rowe was identified with that famous 
military organization known as the 
Farmington Grenadiers, holding a posi- 
tion as an officer high in command. Its 
principal duty was to meet on the 
"Green" on "training day" and there 
carefully e.xecute the simple manual that 
had been drilled into t'ne company since 
its organization, which dated some time 
before or during the Revolution, and 
then to march in their inimitable man- 
ner through the main street of the town 
to the music of fife and drum, which 
w-as played in true old Colonial style, 
and above which, it has been stated, 
the officers' commands could not be 
heard. Finally tlie (irenadiers disbanded 
when the nunilier inarching was less 
than the number of officers in command. 
The rest of the day was given over to 
sports of various kinds, and eating gin- 
gerbread and "training day cakes," 



which were freely offered by numerous 
venders. Mr. Rowe was a member of 
tlie llarrison Veterans, being one of 
the oldest representatives of that body, 
and he took great pride in recalling in- 
cidents of that famous "wide awake" 
campaign. lie voted in sixteen Presi- 
dential elections, his last vote having 
been cast for President McKinley. 

The Rev. Xoah Porter married 
Chauncey Rowe and Susan Dickenson 
Oct. gth, 1 839. Mr. Rowe was ' ery 
domestic in his habits and the familv 
ties and affection were more strongly 
marked and developed in his character 
than in tiiat of most men. Two sons, 
Charles H. and George, were his only 
children, (jeorge dying at the age of 
18 years. Charles, who graduated from 
Vale College in 1862 and the medical 
department in 1864, was appointed as- 
sistant surgeon of the Eighteenth Con- 
necticut, of which e.K-Governor P. C. 
Lounsbury was a member ; later he was 
appointed surgeon of the Seventeenth 
United States Infantry and was trans- 
ferred to Texas, where he fell a victim 
to the yellow fever scourge in Galves- 
ton, in September, 1867. at the age of 
26 1-2 years. This was so great a blow 
to the affectionate father that he ever 
afterward bore the marks of a deep 
grief, and would be moved to tears in 
recalling the memorv of his soldier son. 

The loss of his wife a few years later, 
added to loss of business, tilled his cup 
of grief and sorrow to overflowing. His 
mental balance for a time was threat- 
ened, but the later years of his life saw 
his mind and cheerfulness greatly re- 
stored, and he was regarded by all his 
townsmen with a deep and sincere affec- 
tion, llis mind was clear and his steps 
were active until a week or two before 
his death, which occurred on Dec. 1st, 
1901, at the ripe age of 86 years. 

Mr. Rowe had many of the strong 
traits of character that stamp the New 
Englander ,is a man of success. Early 
thrown upon his own resources he ac- 
quired a good education for the time, 
and reacliing his majority formed a 
partnership and actively undertook the 
management of a store, and identified 
himself with the interests of the town. 
This interest in the town he never re- 
laxed until the day of his death, alwa\ s 
ready in town meeting in" public place 
to advocate and uphold whatever he be- 
lieved to be for its best advantage. Dur- 
ing the Civil W'.ir he was intensely loyal 
and patriotic in upliolding the strong 
arm of the Union, and aiding to the 
best of his abilities the officers of the 
govcrmiieiu in the discharge of their 
duties; and afterward he actively inter- 
ested himself in securing funds and 
erecting in tlie new cemetery a monu- 
ment that bears on its sides the names 
of the battles and the roll of honor of 
our "soldier dead.' It was an occasion 



for him, on each recurring anniversary 
of decoration day, to share his grief 
with others in making a public address, 
filled with the great sorrow through 
which the nation had passed. 

The last years of his life were spent 
in pleasant walks about the town, mak- 
ing visits on neighbors and in social 
intercourse with all, who have only the 
kindest remembrances of their friend 
and neighbor. — J. R. Il'iulsz^'orth in 
Ftinnington. Mtii^aciiic, .Ipril, iSgj. 

Ccorgc W'oinlniff. the youngest son 
.of Major Ozem and Martha Scott 
Woodruff, was born Jan. 2:>„ 1819. He 
resided all of his life on the farm where 
his ancestors had lived as far back as 
the family can be traced. To the sturdy 
uprightness of character inherited from 
Puritan ancestors he added a kindliness 




of spirit that made him beloved by all 
who knew him. His staunch loyalty to 
the church of which he was a member 
and wlrese services he attended with 
great regularity duriny hi-, long life, 
his pleasant smile and kindly word of 
greeting to those he met will be long 
remembered by his friends. lie died 
in 1897. 

Rci'. Saiinirl llnokcr. tiie second pas- 
tor of the Church of Christ in Farming- 
ton, was installed in July, 1661, as the 
successor of his brother-in-law. Rev. 
Roger Newton, who in September, 1657, 
had been dismissed with the intention 
of returning to England. Of the early 
life of Mr. Hooker an account can be 
found in Sibley's Ihirvard Graduates as 
full and accurate as the iiiduslry of 
the learned librarian of Harvard Uni- 
versity could obtain ; how he stud!"il at 
that ancient seat of learning, paying his 
quarter bills in wheat, silver, pork, but- 
ter, rose-water, etc., as was the custom 
of the day; how in November 27, 1654, 
he was chosen a fellow of the college ; 
how the people of Springfield chose 
him for their pastor February 7. 1659, 
which honor he declined ; how the year 
after his settlement here he was ap- 
pointed by the General Couit of Con- 
necticut one of a committee of four per- 
sons "to go down to New Haven to 



86 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



5^^ 



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iSw^ iWf 




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Mwa'STrs u \ni). 

H[ I II \liN(.KV UUOWN. 
SAMI'Kl. DKMIXf;. 



KDUAlil) L, IIAUT, 

L.EONAUI) WINSIIIP. 

AUSTIN F. Will. I VMS. 



W INIIimil' WADSWllIITll. 
JOHN IIOOKEI!, 
JOHN S. RICE. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



87 



treat with the sentlemen and (ithcrs of 
our loviiiK friends there . . . re- 
specting an amicable union of tlie two 
colonies"; and how the colony in 1667 
granted him 250 acres of land. Pres- 
ident Porter in his address of 1840 says : 
"He was, according to the testimony of 
Rev. Mr. Pitkin, 'an excellent preacher, 
his composition good, his address pa- 
thetic, warm and engaging,' and as story 
relates, he informed a friend of his that 
he had three things to do with his ser- 
miins before he delivered them in public, 
'Id write them, commit them unto his 
nKiiKirv, and get them into his heart.' 
l-'roni this notice, and the well-known 
fact, that his father was famed through- 
out New England for the force and lire 
111" his pulpit eloquence, we have rea- 
son to believe that he was a warm 
hearted and eloquent preacher. His 
death was deplored as 'a great breach 
upon his people,' and his memory was 
eml)almed in the afifections of liis 
dock." 

Cotton Matlier, in his famous Magna- 
lia, says "thus we have to this day 
ani(.)ng us, our dead Hooker yet living 
in his worthy son, Mr. Samuel Hooker, 
an able, faithful, useful minister, at 
I'armington, in the Colony i>f Cunnec- 
ticut." 

The list of the publislicd writings of 
Mr. Hooker is a brief one. Some of his 
letters to Rev. Increase Mather and to 
Rev. James Fitch, from 1676 to iti<Sj 
ha\e been printed. Writing to the 
former at the conclusion of King 
I'hiliii's War, when the Xew England 
mind saw a special iirovidence in every 
event, he sa^'s : "The last report -which 
Cometh to nie ... is that a divine 
hand hath followed those of our en- 
emies who went Albany-ward. Multi- 
tudes of them swept away by sickness. 
. . . At this time a very malignant 
and dangerous fever is wandering here- 
abouts. God seemeth not to have fin- 
ishecl His controversy with the land." 
Ill .May, 1677, Mr. Hooker preached the 
.\nnual Election Sermon from the te.xt 
( llosea 10:12) : "For it is time to seek 
tile Lord, till he come and rain 
righteousness upon \ou." .Vnd the Rev. 
John Whiting introduces the printed 
pamphlet ti> us liy an address to the 
"Christian Reader," declaring "in what 
awful and tremendous manner tin- 
Lord's anger hath of late in special 
made to appear against his wilderness 
jieople, . . . the inhabitants of many 
villages made to cease even in Israel 
and some candlesticks removed out of 
their place," alluding, I suppose, to the 
death of Gov. Winthrop. Oi the long 
discourse which follows we have room 
for only a brief specimen, the "Doc- 
trinal Conclusion": "When a sinful peo- 
ple have been chastened, and are still 
threatened but not destroyed, it is time 
for them to seek Jehovah till he comes 



.ind rains righteousness upon them; that 
is, till he, by the efficacy of- his al- 
mighty spirit, makes them a believing, 
sanctilied people." To which he adds : 
"If God rain not righteousness on you, 
it may be expected that he will r:iin 
something else. Seek this geiuk- rain 
ihal llu- si(irni nf his wratli fall not 
on you." In .May, 1693, Mr. Honker 
preached another Election Sermon which 
the General Court ordered printed "for 
the .people's good." They twice re- 
peated the order at subsequent sessions, 
but no copies of it 'nave come down to 
us. We hear of him not unfrequently 
on committees and at meetings of his 
broiluT ministers for matters of pulilic 
interest. In the witchcraft case of Ann 
Cole he was c:illed in as a consulting 
divine, just as our material age in such 
matters would call in a consulting phy- 
sician. He does not appear, however, 
to have been in any way responsible for 
the tragic ending of the case. 

To this writing of sermons and at- 
tention lo public affairs was added t'ne 
labor of presiding at endless church 
meetings, and the recording of the in- 
terminable discussions of things ncpw 
left to other hands. Petty linancial in:il- 
ters were tediously disposed of. 1 lu- 
Iriwn built meeting-houses and paiil llu- 
minisUr. but small charges fell to llu- 
iluirch, ,\ peck of wheat from each 
member paid the expense of the com- 
munion table, which might be commuted 
into sixpence in coin or threepence for 
"brelhren whose wives come not to llu- 
Supper." Much time was wasted on 
that obstinate, crochety, good man. 
Simon Wrothum, who made more 
trouble than forty out and out wicked 
nun. John Woodruff, borrowing witli- 
out formal leave some small matters, 
is accused of stealing, and retorts with 
a charge of lying, and the church votes 
that John did not "err or speak fjilse 
in this." Meeting after meeting sat 
n|ion the m.itter until both parties made 
(\\w ajiology. An era of good feelin.n 
suddenly set in, and other parties signed 
,1 confession concerning other matters 
lo be read the next Sunday; but, alas! 
huiiKin nalure is weak, and before Sun- 
day came ihey privately requested Mr. 
Hooker not to read it. Page after page 
of Mr. Hooker's record is taken up 
with ithc case of "Goody Rcw," who 
h.iving committed a certain ofifence, is 
sununoned before the church, not so 
much because of her offence, as be- 
e:uise, not clothing herself in appropriate 
sackcloth and ashes, she had l)r:i\ ed 
the matter out in gorgeous apparel of- 
fensive lo I'nritan taste. Inc|uisitive 
neighbors hose testimony that they hail 
seen two tailors in her house working 
on a stuff samar. Sewing societies and 
lesser tribunals for the discussion of 
social matters had not arisen. Every 
village quarrel was referred to the 



church meeting, and a lengthy code for 
their decent hearing and settlement was 
spread on the record. The propriety 
of the minister taking the guilty brother 
before a town meeting and compelling 
a confession was considered, together 
with the course to be pursued should the 
the town decline to grant a hearing. 
Such were the labors required of the 
pastor of the olden time, for which the 
wisdom of Solomon would have been 
none too great. By the prudence of 
.Mr. I looker, and to the honor of our 
\vorlli\ :iiu-estors, the record is not 
stained with certain numerous cases 
found on the records of the early 
clnirclies, fostered by the publicity given 
Ihem. 

On llie 22d of September, 165H, three 
yi'.irs before his settlement here, he was 
married to Mary, eldest daughter of 
Capt. Thom:is Willett, a man of note 
in the e;irly history of Massachusetts, 
and who w.is afterward the first mayor 
of .\i-w York city. .-V very interesting 
char.-icler this Capt. Thomas Willett, 
of whom we have S])ace only to (|uote 
from his epitaph; 

"Here lies grand Willett, wdiose 

good nanu- 
Hid numnl upon llie wings of Fame; 

.\'ow he's hence gone lo his long 

home, 
-And t.ikeii from ihe ill to come: 
l.iM-il lure desired, lamented died. 
Is wilii his Saviour glorihed." 

I If his wife. Mistress Mary Willett, the 
same poet informs us: 

"W-A. \'enus, Pallas. Diana, and t'lie 

Graces 
Compared with her should all h.ive 

lost I heir places." 

The clmrch over which Mr. Hooker 
w.as installed in lOOi was formed nine 
ye.ars before, in 1(152, bv his brother-in- 
law, Rev, Roger Newton, and six oth(;r 
pious nun, known as the "Seven Pil- 
lars" of the church. On the first of 
.M.arch, iO,So, llu- church record shows a 
nu-mliersliip of ilfty-sevi'ii. Some of 
lluse, no doulil, were attracted hither 
by our bro.id, fertile meadows, but nian\ 
had lu'i-n numbers of the church of the 
Rev. TIioiiKis ll.>.iker in Hartford. .\f- 
tcr liis dealli. when differences arose, 
some of llu- clinrch had gone with El- 
der William (loodwin to Hadley. and at 
length had followed him to this town 
lo sit under the ministry of the son of 
Iheir beloved p.istor. Here died bolder 
Goodwin; and here, after a pastorate 
of ihirty-six years, died the Rev. Sam- 
uel Hooker, as the record reads, "on the 
sixth day of November about one of 
the clock in the morning, A. D. 1697," 
at the age of about sixty-four years, and 
w.is buried in the ancient burial ground. 



88 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 










.t^:::^^ 



■nii: uii II \i;ii i; \\ I'I.m i: 




Ki:siiii;\i'i'; hk men ( iiksnkv. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



&9 



probably at the spot where the venera- 
tion and affectinn of liis descendants 
dedicated a monunuiu to his memory. 
June 19th. 1895. 

His house stood on the east side of 
the main street, a little north of the 
point at which the road to tlie railroad 
station branches ofl tn llie riyht. 

Tlioiiias Bull one of the early settlers 
of Farniington was horn in Hartford 
about the year 1(147. lie was a son 
of Captain rimmas Ibdl famous 
in Colonial hismry ,is the connnander 
of the Connecticut troops at Saybrook 
when Sir Edmund Andross attempted 
tn read his commission as royal gover- 
nor ; lie, on learning that the Captain's 
name was Bull, said: "It is a pity that 
your horns are not tipped with silver." 
Thomas the younger was one of the 
ear!}- deacons of the church and lived 
on the east side of the road which 
diverges from Farmington main street 
a little south of the church and which 
was in his time known as "the little 
back-lane." He was a farmer, black- 
smith, gunsmith and shoer of horses. 
His account book gives a list of all 
sorts of work in iron done by him, from 
hardware for the meeting house and the 
littings of the village stocks, to work 
for his townsmen on carts, plows, axes 
and all the primitive ap])liances of early 
agriculture. He had his full share in 
the dignities and honors of public life, 
and was by turns constable, collector, 
town clerk, selectman, assessor and 
school committee. Twice he represented 
the town in the (ieneral Assembly. 
His marriage with Esther, the daugh- 
ter of the first John Cowles, is inter- 
esting as illustrating the matrimonial 
customs of the day. The court record 
is as follows : 

"Benjamin Waite iiaving publickly 
protested against Thomas Bull Junr. 
and Hester Cowles alias Cole their pro- 
ceedings in reference to marriage and 
manifested his desire that authority 
would not marry or any way contract 
in order to marry them the said Thom- 
as and Hester. The Court desires the 
said Wayte that he wnuhl manifest his 
reasons to them and prochice his proofs 
of any right or claini that he hath to 
the said Hester Cole, hut he refusetl 
to attend any such thing at this time. 
The Court did therefore declare to the 
said Benjamin Waite that they did not 
judge it reasonable to restrain Thomas 
Bull and Hester Cide from marriage 
till Sept. next and therefore if the said 
Waite does not make good his claim 
and prosecute to effect Ijetween this 
and the 7th of April next they will not 
longer deny them the said Thomas and 
Hester marriage." 

Benjamin and Hester had hotli been 
residents of Hatfield where her father 
spent the last years of his life, but the 



preferences of the young had little 
weight with the stern parent or the 
solemn magistrate. Esther was duly 
married to Thomas April 17th. 1669, 
and Benjamin consoled himself with 
Martha Leonard in June, 1670. We can 
only guess at the thoughts of I'^sther 
as tidings came from time to time to 
tile quiet home of the village blacksmith 
1)1 the hrillianl military exploits of her 
former luver, rescuing his H.-itl'ield 
friends and relatives from their In- 
dian captors in Canada after the mas- 
sacre of 1677, 'I'ld finally sacrificing his 
life in the \ aiii attempt to save Deer 
lield from destruction in the terrible 
days of 1704. Esther died in 1(191 at 
the comparatively early age of 42, and 
Deacon Bull soon after married Mary, 
widow of Captain William Lewis an 1 
eldest daughter of Ezekiel Cheever th:.- 
famous sc'nool-master of New England. 
He died in 1707 or 1 708, leaving Iie- 
hind him a numerous family of young 
Bulls to continue the family name and 
honors. 

.Iii/liiiiiy Iliiwkiiis of whom the writ- 
er is ,1 lineal descendant, recorded his 
house lot in l''armington in May, 1661. 
It cont.iiiied Iwci acres, situated on Poke 
Brook on the south side of the road 
to Hartford, and was therefore nearly 
opposite the site of the future residence 
of Cio\. Treadwell. He was one of the 
nineteen "truly and well beloved peti- 
tioners" to whom his majesty Charles 
II. granted the charter of Connecticut. 
His life was spent for the most part in 
the public service. From 1645 to 1649 
he was fre(|uentl,\- on the jury at Hart- 
ford. I'Vom 1657 to 1665 a Deauty to 
the General Court, and from 1666 to 
1673, an Assistant, offices corresponding 
to our representative and senator. He 
was early a resident of Windsor, but 
must have settled in h'armington be- 
fore May 17, 16(10, when he was appoint- 
ed a grand juror for this town. He 
was also a commissioner for Farming- 
ton, a convenient office established to 
relieve the burden of the County Court, 
having power to determine any action 
to the value of forty shillings, and to 
do any miscellaneous business coni- 
milted to it by a higher tribunal. To 
the coniinissioner in particular was al- 
lottid ihe pmiishineiit of hulians found 
walking up and down and buying licpior 
"after the day light shutting in." .\ 
matter of twenty shillings and a severe 
whipping of six stripes at least. He was 
particularly ein|iowered to distribute the 
nione\ to In- paid Nearly by the Indians 
wlio bail lu'en guilty of firing houses, 
but as they never paid any, his labors 
must have been light. .'\s a reward for 
all these numerous public services he 
was granted by the Colony four hun- 
dred acres of land. He died "I'Vbruary 
the last 1673 .... stricken in 



years," leaving his "body to a comely 
burial in the common burial place in 
Farmington." He left three children 
by his first wife and three by his w-idow 
Ann, daughter of Gov. Thomas Welles. 
Dr. Stiles in his history of Windsor, 
marries him to Isabel Brown during 
the lifetime of his second wife Ann, to 
the great botheration of genealogists. 
.\ll such laborious people can find of 
record that Anthony Hoskins, now 
Howd<ins, married the fair Isabel. 

Pi: Doiiicl I'ortcr, known in all the 
country round as "that skillful chiur- 
geon," but more commonly spoken of 
as Daniel Porter, bone-setter, on his 
coming among us bought of Thomas 
L'pson a house and lot at the south end 
of the village street, near the site of 
the brick building only recently degrad- 
ed from its dignity as the South School 
House. He records his possessions in 
January, 1(155, •'is "One parcel of land 
on which his dwelling house now stand- 
cth, with yards or gardens therein be- 
ing, wdiich he bought of Thomas Up- 
son, containing by estimation six acres 
be it more or less, abutting on the high- 
way- on the east, and on Thomas Up- 
son's land on the south and on the west, 
and on John Lanktou's land on the 
north." In October of the same year 
the General Court, sitting at Hartford, 
ordered "that Danniell Porter shall bee 
allowed and paid out of t"ne publique 
Treasury, as a sallery for the next en- 
suing yeare, the sum of six pounds ; and 
six shillings a journy to each Towne 
uppon the River, to exercise his arte 
of Chiurgerie." So greatly were his 
services valued ihat in idfiS he was 
"freed from watching, warding and 
training," that he might be always in 
readiness in any sudden emergency to 
exercise his skill upon the broken bones 
of the colony. In 1(171 the Court fur- 
ther decreed that "F'or the encourage - 
men of Daniel Porter in attending the 
service of the country in setting bones 
&c, the Court do hereby augment his 
salary from six pounds a year to twelve 
pounds per annum, and do advise him 
to instruct some meet person in his 
arte." Lest the salary of twelve pounds 
and his fee of six shillings for each 
visit to the river towns should not suf- 
fice for his honorable support, the 
"Court grants Daniel Porter one hun- 
dred acres of land, provided he take it 
up wdiere it does not prejudice any 
former grant or plantation." This grant 
was unfortunately selected near the 
northwest corner of Wallingford and 
so proved to be out of the jurisdiction 
of the court. His grandchildren subse- 
quently exchanged it for one hundred 
acres west of the Housatonic River. It 
mattered little so long as land con- 
tinued the most plentiful of all kinds 
of estate. Moreover Dr. Porter was one 



90 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 




iii'isihiAi '!■; (II' \i:i.S(i\ i\ ki-i^s. 




RKSIDENCK OF B. 0. MAXWELL. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



91 



of the famous Eighty-four proprietors 
and regularly received his share in each 
division of the reserved lands. The 
relative values of professional services 
of the day, especially of those rendered 
in military expeditions, appear in a de- 
cree of 1676, wherein "The Council did 
grant that a minister's pa\' shall be 
twenty-five shillings per week; a chiur- 
geon's pay shall be sixteen shillings 
per week," nor need we think the min- 
isterial pay out of all reasonable pro- 
portion. Whatever we may think of 
the spiritual value of the preacher's la- 
bors, on the eve of battle the inspiring 
words of him who stood forth as the 
vicegerent of Heaven were beyond all 
price. 

The doctor left five sons, three of 
whom were physicians. The eldest son, 
Daniel, removed to Waterbury and was 
the second person of five successive 
generations known as Dr. Daniel Por- 
ter — father, son, grandson, great grand- 
son and nephew of great grandson. He 
died near the end of the administration 



of Sir Edmund Andross and so left us 
no will or inventory to shed light on 
his character and surroundings. Scarce- 
ly anyone at that time left estate or 
will to enrich the royal governor witli 
probate fees. They divided their ac- 
cumulations while living, a desirable 
course in many ways. His youngest 
son, Samuel, remained in his native vil- 
lage and was styled in the records. 
"Samuel Porter, Doctor of ye town of 
Farmintgon." 



Joint Steele, the first town clerk of 
Farmington, spent the last years nf liis 
lite in this village and here died h'eliru- 
ary 27, 1664. The earlier and more 
active part of his life was in Hartford, 
tliougb lie owned a house and lot here 
a little north of the site of the Savings 
Bank from January 1655 until his death. 
He left it to his son Samuel, calling it 
a tenement house. He was a resident 
of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1635, 
and in the autumn of that year came to 



Hartford with Rev. Thomas Hooker 
and his church. He was the Secretary 
of the Colony from 1636 to 1639, 
Recorder of Hartford for twenty years 
and Deputy to the General Court twen- 
ty-three years. 

His very peculiar handwriting is con- 
spicuous on our town and church rec- 
ords. He begins the latter with the en- 
try of the formation of the church by 
its original seven members October 13, 
1652, and adds "About one month after, 
myself (John Steel) joined with them." 
The inventory of his estate attested be- 
fore Mr. Howkins shows the very mod- 
est sum of £182, as the savings of a 
long life of public service. A few items 
.i\\ his will would interest the modern 
collector. A "silver bowl, which was 
mine own, marked with three silver 
stamps and one S, all on the upper end 
of the bowl," and the one silver spoon 
given to each child. The three silver 
stamps were probably hall marks and 
the S the initial of the family name. 



'AULD LANG SYNE" 




r.. i'. Don.MW .\M) .1. II. .\.\i)i;i;\\> 



92 



FARMTNGTON, CONNFXTICUT, 



\:-:?<:UA^:'^'y-.-^^^- ^n 




l:i.si|ii.\( I. cji 111 \ui,i,s .N. IJA, 




1 , < M\\ I 






sis i? 




I 111, ll>» S II U.J. \ .11 I. IKK Mi \ 



THE VILLAGE OE BEAUTIEUL HOME.S. 



93 




MAIN Slltl:i;T. LdOKIM: NdKlll. 




THE TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE. 




r '^-"li ■ 



POST OFFICE AM) F. L. SCOTT'S STOlilv 




M\i\ >ii;m I. LOOKINO SOUTH. 



94 



FARMIN'GTOX, CONNECTICUT, 




i,'i:siiii:\i !■: oi' ( ii \ki,i:s w . i.'Mr. 




iMTTflTmrmTTTTiTr- :7. . -v^ 



UKSIDKMI'; OK lilllN II II MJ'r. 




IIKSIIIKNIK <lh' I'.liW \l;ll ji I. KANT. 



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(■O.N'GUKIIATIO.NAL I'AHSO.VAUK, UliSlUENl I, 



(II l:l,\ . v'l IN' ^ HI.\KI,la. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



95 




liKSlDKNTK OF i;il\\ \l;li II |i|;.\l I M.'. 




■INGLESIDE," Ki;sil)|-,N('K OK F. L. SCOTT. 




96 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




'I i>A\ 111 li. II a\vm;y. 




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THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



97 



* 


lEarlu Ju&uatrt^a nf Jarmiuijtuu/ 


« 



^^■r HE first settlers of this village 
I 1 came from Hartford probably 

^^ along the same path and 
tlirough the same notch in the 
mountain we still use. Finding 
further progress westward interrupted by 
the river, they turned southward and 
built their first houses where runs the 
Main street of to-day. To each settler 
was allotted a strip of land about two 
hundred feet wide, bounded on the east 
by the mountain and on the west b>- 
the river. When their numliers in- 
creased, and their flocks and herds re- 
quired ampler acconmiodation. they 
made use of the meadows and forest to 
the westward, enclosing them with a 
strong- fence and a deep ditch, remains 
of the latter of which may still be traced 
from Avon southward through the Pine 
Woods nearly to Plainville. This fence 
kept their flocks from losing themselves 
in the forest, and was thought a suf- 
ficient bar against wolves, which do not 
easily climb an obstruction. 

Here in much peace and contentment 
they lived the laborious lives of earl_\' 
settlers. Let us see what can be learned 
of their industries and daily life for the 
first si-xty years of their residence. Dur- 
this period forty-five, out of a much 
larger number who died, left estates 
minutel\ inventoried by the courts of 
the day. These inventories, showing 
all a luan's possessions, from his farm 
down to his smallest article of clothing, 
give u^ about all the information of his 
daily life and habits we possess. 

They were all farmers, every one of 
them. The minister was the biggest 
farmer of them all. To him was allotted 
a double portion of land. The Rev. 
Roger Newton removed early and died 
elsewdiere, but his successor, the Rev. 
.Samuel Hooker, dying here in 1697, left 
a fariu valued at £440, many horses, 
cattle, and sheep in his pastures, much 
wheat, rye, corn, and barley in his gran- 
ary, and already sowed for the next 
year's crop, with abundant husbandry 
tools for the iirosecution of this in- 
ilustry. With two sermons, not of the 
shortest, to write every week, and an- 
other for lecture day, with an occasional 
election sermon, and much public work 
in the colony, he must have been a la- 
borious man. His estate, with the ex- 



ception of that of Mr. John Wadsworth, 
was the largest inventoried before 1700, 
'I'he work of the farm was done 
largely by oxen. Almost every farmer 
owned a yoke, but none luore than two, 
so far as can be learned. Horses were 
al):)Ut twice as numerous as o.xen, and 
were also used in the cultivation of land, 
as the inventory of their tackling proves. 
Every man had a cow or two but no 
large herds. John Hart, burned in his 
liouse in 1666, left six, as also did 
Xathaniel Kellogg, dying in 1O57, biU 
one and two were the common number. 
Sheep were held a necessity on every 
farm to furnish warm clothing in the 
long New England winter. John Or- 
ton, dying in 1695, left a flock of twen- 
ty-two, but the average number was 
ten. Swine were numerous. John 
Cowles' estate had thirty-eight. The 
a\'erage for a farmer was fifteen. A 
few hives of bees usually closed the list. 
Farming implements were much as we 
knew them fifty years ago, before the 
day of horse rakes am! mowing ma- 
chines, only a ruder construction. They 
had fans but no fanning mills, trusting 
to the winds of heaven to winnow the 
grain from the chaff as in bililical times. 
Their carts and plows were home-made 
and so rudely built that the appraiser 
frequently estimated the value of the 
iron parts only. Josselvn in his "Two 
Voyages to New England," printed in 
1673, advises the planter to buy his 
cart-wheels in F.ngland for fourteen 
shillings rather than trust to colonial 
workmanship. Certain tools were th.-n 
common which some of us reiueiubcr to 
have seen in our boyhood, long unused. 
There was the heavy and cumbersoiue 
brake for breaking flax, the wooden 
swingling knife for continuing the pro- 
cess, and the hetchel. Wood cards were 
also connnoii .\ftrr flax wheat w.as the 
most important crop, and rye was raised 
when the exhausted land would no long- 
er be.ir wheat. Misleu. or a mixlmc 
of wheat and rve. was often si>wrcl in 
the hoiH' t'lial one i>r tile ollur :-;r.iin 
might thrive. I'..ir1e\ was raised \nv thi 
manufacture of m.all, and we lind even 
oats used for this purpose. It look tin 
Englislini;iii several generations in Irani 
that he could live without beer. Wood 
in his "New England's Prospect," 



])rinted in 1634, -gives his English view 
of the matter. "Every family," he says, 
"havin.g a spring of sweet waters be- 
twixt them, which is far different from 
the waters of England, being not so 
sharp, but of a fatter substance, and of 
a more jetty color; it is thought there 
can be no better water in the world, yet 
dare I not prefer it before good beer 
as some have done." After the multi- 
plication of apple orchards, cider large- 
l\- took the place of beer. John Hart 
had a cider press in 1666 and Capt. Wil- 
li.ini Lewis in i6go had not only a cider 
mill but a malt mill, a still, and a supply 
.if malt and hops. John Bronson in 
1(180 had ten barrels of cider in his cel- 
lar valued at four pounds. Potatoes are 
not named. Probably none of the set- 
tlers had ever seen one. Peas and beans 
were common, but by far the largest 
crop was Indian corn. Corn wa.i the 
first eatable thing which the starving 
Pilgrims could find after they left Ply- 
mouth Rock. The friendly Tisquantum 
showed them how to raise it. ".\lso 
he told them except they get fish and 
set with it ( ill these old grounds") it 
would come to nothing, and he showed 
ibeiii that in the middle of April they 
should have store enough come up the 
brook by which they began to build." 
So sa\s Co\'. Bradford in his history. 
Other Indian advice was to place in 
each hill a shad, a few kernels of corn, 
and a few beans. The shad was for 
manure, and the cornstalks formed in 
yonil time sufticient poles for the bean 
\iiies to climb. The savage meanwhile 
retiring to the sunny side of his wdg- 
uaiii trusted the rest to all bountiful 
ii.it ure. with a little assistance from his 
sipiaw. Other things the settlers soon 
learned Of the blackbirds which soon 
imlled up their corn, Roger Williams 
writing in i64,-5 says, "Of this sort there 
lie milliiiiis, which be great dcvourers 
of the Indian corn, as soon as it ap- 
Iiears above the ground. .Against these 
birrls the Indians are very careful both 
to sit their corn deep enough, th.it it 
may have a strong root, not so apt to 
be iilucked up (\et not too deep, lest 
thev bury it. and it never come up) ; as 
also they put up little watch houses in 
the middle of their fields, in which tiiey 
or their biggest children lodge, and. 



98 



FARIMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




iii'i:i;'iv (IF .IKSSK M(Mii:i: i;i:sii)i;n('K of 




I'HOI'KIJ'I'V OF MUS. O. \. I, VON H ICSI l)i:\( hi OF' .1, ( '. I'.l SUM. I, I, 







I III, \\>..\ I'olM IK ri.M Iv 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



99 




I'M III \i:i .. w II 




SHOI- ()|- 11 (I Ull.( ()\. 




i:i >iim:\. I 



I i:::- v,-l;i. >l. 




liKSIIlKXcl.: OF Mils. MVin ( AUItOIJ. \\|] \||;s. SI I l,|,|]|i\- itlf'K. 



tore. 



100 



FARMIXGTOX, CONNECTICUT, 



rally ill tlir niiiniiiii;. ihtmhI tlu- liiriK 
Iriiiu iU'M)iiring the ccini." As Idr llir 
criuv. !n' s.'iys. "Tlicso liirds. alilnnii^li 
iIk'v iIii llu- corn sdiiK- luirt, \ct scarrr 
will our iiati\e anionnst an liiimlreil kill 
llu-ni, liccausr they have a trailitinn. thai 
the crinv brought tlu-m at lirst an In- 
dian grain of corn in oiu' rar, ami an 
Indian or hrench bran in aiiotlur, from 
the groat (iod Cawlanto\v\vit'> liidd in 
the southwest, from wlienee thev hold 
came all their corn and beans," In l(i[|_| 
the town (iffered a reward of two peuee 
for erows and one shilling the dozen 
for blackbirds. In llartford. in 1707, 
it was held the dnl> of e\er\ good citi- 
zen to kill oiie dozen bl.ickbirds each 
\'ear, nr pay a line of one shillin.g If 
he killed more than .a dozen hi- was ell- 
titled to one |iemi\ lor e.ieli hiial I'rom 
that time to this iiiaii\ homilies have 
been paid and much powder burmd. hiU 
the crow is still Willi us. and his morn 
in.g voice is still heard as he wings his 
daily Might from the mountain to the 
meadow. The most troublesome aiii- 
m.als the farmer bad lo contend with, 
were the wohes which, ro.niiiiig h\ 
night ill packs ol ten or a dozen, with 
ilre.irlfiid cries, (Kwoiireil sheep. caKes. 
.and llu' smaller .iiiimals. brum a sir.n 
le.if of the town .iccounts we le.irii tli.it 
ill 171S EbeiKver l!.iriies. Stepluii ll.iit. 
Samuel Scott, ami .\l.itlliew W'oodriilT 
were e.ieli paid sis shillings and eight 
pi'iice for killing woKcs, I lie\ were 
inosth' killed in pits uitti wlmli tlie\ 
were enticed by bail pl.ic id over the 
concealed luoiith of ihe pit I lie\ were 

I r climbers, ami once 111 the |iit their 

fate w.is sure. Mil- roail iiiiming frinii 
the ei.ghth milestone sonthw.inl from trie 
ll.arlfonl n ..ad li.as. since 1747. and I 
know ni>t hiiw much |ollM^,l-, |,i-en known 
as the Wolf I'it ro.id. .and cert, 1111 de 
]U'essinns in the ground iisid to be 
diowii lo erednloiis boys .is the aiicinil 
wolf pits, .\nolber \a-r\ coimnon inelli 
od of destroying these .imin.ils jossel\ii 
tells us in bis '"New I'liglanil's Rarities" 
of I()7_', "The wolf." he s,a> s. "is very 
numerous, and go in companies, some 
times ten. twenty, or fewer, and so cuii 
ning. that seldom an\ are killed with 
guns or traps; but ol late llie\ lia\e 
iiuented a way to ilestro\ tlieiii b\ bind 
iiig four mackerel books .across with a 
brown Ihre.ad. .and then, w r.ipping some 
wo.il .iboni lluaii. tluw dip tlieni in iiu It 
ed t.illow till it be .as round .iiid lug as 
an egg; these (when am beast has been 
killed by tiie widvcsi tlie\ scatter b\ the 
dead carcass after llie\ lia\e bealeii oil 
the wi>l\es; about miilnigbl the wohes 
are sure to relurii .ig.iin to the |il.ace 
where tlicw left the sl.ingbtered bc-.asl. 
ami the lirsi ibiiig lliey \enliire upon will 
be these- ii;dls of fat " Hears were fre- 
(|llently met with, bin lhe\ ni.ide tile 
f.ariuers very little trouble, ami were es 
teemed a g(>od-natiire<l animal, except 



when defending their young. The town 
paid for killing panthers in 1718 and 
in l7-'(). .and probably in other years. In 
17(11-! a bounty of three shillings w.as of- 
fered for wildcats, .and on the ,lotb day 
of .May, 177.^. the town jiaid three .shill- 
ings to Xoah llait for ,1 wildcat, and 
the same da.\ ]iaid one shillin.g to John 
Xewell. Jr.. "for putting a strolling 
fellow in the stocks." wildcats ami 
tramps being held in like estimation. 
One other animal the settlers feared 
more than all the others put together. 
It s|i.ired neither ni.aii nor be.ist, and its 
midnight roar w.is not a cheerful sound 
to the lonely settler. .\ll over .\ew 
England they called it a lion, with about 
.as much knowledge of n.itnral lustm-y 
as Xick liottom. who held "a lion is a 
most dreadful thing; for tlu re is not 
.1 more fearful wild-fi>wl than \our lion 
living," Wood, in his "Xew I'iiigland's 
I'rospent." s.i\ s. "concerning lions. 1 
will not say that I ever saw any my- 
self, hut some athrni lli.it thee ha\e seen 
a liiiii at Cape ,\iiiie 
some likewise. being lost in tlu' 
wooils, lia\e heard such terrible taiar- 
iiigs. .Is ha\e iii;ide them much 
agh.isl ; which niiist be de\ils or 
lions there biing no other creatures 
which Use to roar s.i\inK luars. which 
li.ue not such a lerrible kind of roar- 
ing" Sundry localities were named 
after the beast, .\ l.ii.n's Hollow- west- 
w.ird of Ihe road to I'laiiuille. and a 
Lion's Hole e.istw.ird id the road to 
Kensington were frequently nieutioned 
in old deeds. .\ Lion's Hole near Dead 
Sw.inip is luentioneil in 1(186, and one. 
li.irdK tile same, in 1705 on the Great 
I'l.iin, Ihe .inimal was without ninch 
doubt a citamount. If \ ou li.ive ever 
^eeii the bronze ligiire of this beast 
standing on its gr.inite pedestal in front 
of the sill- of the old Calamoiml T.-nerii 
in I'.enningtoii. X'ermont. "grimiing 
towards New ^ ork. " Mai will not won- 
der ,-it its unpleasanl reputation, 

I'"arl\ in the histor\ of this village, 
.-IS in all new settlements, it beeanic 
iu'cess.-ir> for some of the farmers to 
engage in other industries essential to 
civilized life. The goodman could 
prepare wool and llav U>v the wheel of 
Ihe goodwife. lint not e\er\ one possessed 
a loom, or knew how lo use it 
Joseph r.ird .iiid iiissons. Joseph. S.imnel. 
.iiid I homas. In iiig on I'.ird I lill. on 
I lie II irtford 10. 111. were .ill we.ners he 
lore 1700 Simon Wiotlmm. a in.iii 

conspicuous fiM' bis want of suiip.ithv 
with the religious \iews of his towns- 
iiun. W.IS also .1 weaxi-r. Ser.gi';iiit 
Slepbeii ll.irl. son of Deacon .Steplu-u, 
li:id "looms, sle.\s. reeds, and oilier 
weaving tools." v;dued ;il £.s-Js. Ser- 
.geanl John Ckirk, wiio died in the 
Canada I'.xiieditiou of 170c) h.id a cover- 
let of John Root's w-ea\ing. valued at 



18 shillings. The latter was known as 
"John Root, weaver," as early as 
itxjg. Samuel Xorth. dying in i68j, 
left "A loom and tools belonging to it," 
valued at three pounds. Here, surely, 
were weavers enough to supply all rea- 
sonable requirements of the little vil- 
lage. Probably the goodwife of the 
settler fashioned the products of these 
iii.iny looms into substantial clot'ning, 
hut, as early as 1697. Deacon Thomas 
Porter, son of the first Thomas, came 
to be known as "Thomas Porter, 
tailor." His house stood near the 
site of that of Judge E, IT, Iteming, 
and here the young men who desired 
something more stylish than home-made 
garments doubtless repaired. We re- 
gret our inabihty to describe the fash- 
ions of his shop. An inventory of the 
w.irdrobe cd' a respectable farmer of 
the d.-i\ niusi suffice. Sergeant John 
Clark had four coats, one of kersey, 
one of serge, a cape-coat, lined, and an 
old coat. Of w-aistcoats he had a 
bine ;ind a serge. His breeches were 
se\er.dl\ of drugget, serge, and leather. 
He b.id a hat of castor beaver, two 
fringed muslin neckcloths, two pairs 
of gloves, and two speckled shirts, 
b'urther it is unnecessary to go, b'ive 
men, besides the minister, wore broad- 
cloth. — John Judd. son of William; 
.S.iinucl Cowles. who. besides two liroad- 
cloth co.its. valued at si.x p<auuds. had 
.1 ilamask vest and four pairs of silver 
buttons; Ca)il, John Stanley, who had 
a straight broadcloth coat of a sad 
color; Samuel Gridley. who also car- 
ried a silverheaded cane, and his son, 
S.imuel, who had two coats, each three 
times as valuable as his father's, and 
silver buttons and buckles to tuatcli. 
Ihe tide of lu.xury so deeply deplored 
1>\ (iov. Treadwell years afterward 
had already set in. Samuel Langdon. 
son of Deacon Langdon. removing to 
Xorthampton and carrying thither the 
luxurious h.cbits of his native village, 
was with divers persons "presented by 
the gr.nid jiirv to the court at Xortii- 
ampton, March .'(x 167(1, for wearing of 
silk, and that in a flaunting manner, and 
others for long hair and other extrava- 
gances contrary to honest and sober 
order and demeanor, not becoming a 
wilderness state, at least the professiiui 
of Cliristi;inily and religion," Mr. L,-ing- 
don made his peace with the court by 
p.iviiig the clerk's fee. J shillings and 
iience, 

.Samuel Woodrul'f. son of Matthew- 
llie imiuigrant. was tlie villa.ge slioe- 
m.iker. ec)iumonly known as ".S.imuel 
Woo.hidT. ciu-dw-.iiner," .Miout 1700 he 
reiuo\c-d lo .Soiithin.gton, and tradition 
calls him its lirst white inhabitant, 
John .Xewell, .son of Thomas the im- 
migrant, was another shoemaker. lie 
removed to Waterbury with those who 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



101 




,>' 



Ik 
I 



KLblUKM i; (jl I IIAI;l,I.S a, I.'ISLEV. 





RESIDENCE ni l|i\\\l.'|. II hiUlMAX. 



EESIDENPR OP THOS. H. lilSLEY. 



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RKSIDKXl'K OF MliS. AI'fM'ST HITTNKl! 




i!i:sii)i:\( !■: of (Iiai:i.i> sT^\l,l^ m\sii\. .m 



102 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




.iiii:n(K oi-' c. and n 



ilfHHl 





liKSini \i I I 'I '.M ii:i.i i; m li,l.■ 



l,•l.sll)l:^< |-, (l|- KIIANK I!. IKllX'llKISS, 



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■ 














-;''-^^-\^^^:^ 



Vf^'V 




I. I X'. I Kol <.ll 



THE VILLAGK OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



103 



went from this village, but returned, 
ami died unmarried in 1696. His in- 
ventory siiows : "Shoe leatlier. lasts, 
and shoemaker's gears." valued at ig 
shillings, 9 penee. IVnjamin Jndd. 
son of Deacon Tiiomas. dying in 1O98, 
left "Leather and shoemaker's tools to 
the value of one pound and six shillings." 
Johanna Smith, who was killed in the 
l-'alls Fight" of May 19, 1676, was the 
village cooper, and, after him. John 
.Stedman and Samuel Bronson. Daniel 
Merrills was a tanner. and Joseph 
Hawley had a tan->ard. Thomas Lee. 
son of the lirst John, was described 
in the deed of David Lee of Xortli- 
ampton, weaver, as "Thomas Lee 
his brother, mason ami liricklayer 
of Farmington." in i<m)J. Joiners 
nuist liave been important members of 
the ci^nnnnuity. but 1 know nl nn one 
distinctl> classed as such. Thomas 
Thomson the immigrant, a brother of 
Samuel Thomson, stationer, of Lon- 
don, dying in 1655. left "tools for a 
carpenter and other small implements," 
valued at 5 pounds, l shilling. Richard 
Bronson, in 1687. left a full set of 
carpenter's tools. Deacon John Lang- 
don left a set in 16S9. William Hook- 
er, son of Rev. Samuel Hooker, left 
a "turning lathe, with saws and other 
tools, for turning and joiner's work." 
He was a merchant, and these may 
have been a part of his goods. John 
Bronson and John Warner had each 
a pit saw, — useful tools before saw- 
mills could be built. 

The Gridleys were the Idacksmiths 
of the village. Samuel, son of the 
first Thomas, lived near where now 
stands the house of the late Egbert 
Cowles, Esq.. and his shop was in the 
highway, as was the custom. Dying 
in 171J. his son 'Ihomas succeeded to 
his trade, and was known as "Tiiomas 
(iridley, smith," to distinguish him 
from other Thomas Gridleys. His 
house, given him by his f.itber in 
1704, was on Bird's Hill, on the north 
side of the road to Hartford. The 
tools inventoried "in ye smith's snop" 
of Samuel Gridley were pretty much 
what you would find in a countr} 
forge of to-day. Mr. (;ridley was alsn 
a merchant, and the long inventory of 
his estate is interesting .is showing 
the evolution of the early country 
shopkeeper. Silver coin was scarce, 
Capt. William Lewis hail, by his in- 
ventory, two pounds and lour shill- 
ings; John Wadsworth. twn pounds 
six shillings; John .\ewell. three 
pieces of eight, that is, fifteen shillings, 
and John Clark a sum not separately 
appraised ; and if others had any, it 
was not specificall\- mentioned. .\'a- 
thaniel Kellogg had wampum valued, in 
1057. at two poiuids. Everyone ac- 
cepted in payment such goods and valu- 



ables as the debtor had to offer. Hence 
.\lr. Gridley, as he perceived his goods 
increase, opened a shop for their sale. 
Of such wares he had ;iccuuuilated 3 
i)eavi'r skins. ;ind the skins of if) rac- 
coons, .^ luxi's. 3 wildcat s. ! Ivar. 1 
deer, 7 nms)|nas]u's. and _' nnnks. (_)f 
his own h.indiwi irk. besides ullu-r iron 
w.ire. li.' sold n.iils. not by llie pound 
lint by count. i here were J,.3oo four- 
priiiiy nails. -',.V=;o six-penny. 1,900 
eight-penny, and joo hob-nails. In .ad- 
dilion to the goods he made or got in 
li.iMUent for work, bis business came, 
in time, to embr.ace an\ thing the far- 
mer needed, from carls. ■larnesses. and 
scythes to jack-knives and catechisms. 
Here the ladies could procure calicoes, 
crapes, muslins, laces, ribbons, thimbles, 
thread, knil ting-pins, combs, and fans, 
or cf>uld slock their pantries with all 
m.inner i>f shitiing pewter. llere. too, 
the huiiler fotinil powiler. IliiUs. and 
Intllels. John Wadsworth. dying in 
1689, son of the first Willi.im. bi-sides 
a large farm, had a shop containing 
goods not specifically emnncrated, but 
\;Lhied at ■'■'7 pounds. He had also 
a cold still, an alembic, and stnidr\ 
gallipots. Perhaps he coniliined the 
business of a druggist with other in- 
dustries. He was probably the 
wealthiest man of the village. lb- 
left a library valued at £i7-i4s-4d. 
Mis house stood a little south of where 
now lives Judge E. H. Denting. Wil- 
liatn Hooker, son of Rev. Samuel 
Hooker, lived on the west side of 
Main street, on the corner where ihe 
r.-iod turns olf to the railro.ad station, 
.and was also .1 shopkeeper. His busi- 
ness, judging from the inventory of 
his goi)ds. tuust have been largely in 
hardware, such as brass kettles, warm- 
itig-pans. pewti'r of all sorts, includ- 
ing 10 pewter tank.ards, 5 dozen pewter 
spoons, and 3'-! dozen ocomy (that is 
alchemy') spoons. Farming, however, 
was his principal occupation. Koger 
Hooker, another son of Rev. S.imnel 
Hooker, was also a merchant. aiul, 
dying in 169S, left as great a varietv 
of goods .IS von will, lind in the coun- 
Iry store of to d.n . .and some other 
thing- from a \er\- valn.cble lot ol bear 
skins, deer skins, and moose skins, 
down to fish-hooks and jewsharns. 
The jewshari) was the only instrnmeiU 
of music 1 lind inventoried in a h.arnr 
ington house, and was one of the three 
.allowed in ihe Bhu' Laws f:d>ricate:l In 
the Rev. Sanuu-1 I'eti-rs. 'ihe ilnun. 
1 suppose, was town properly, .and w.is 
beaten by John Jndd, drummer, ,it a 
regular sal.ar>. .\ lillle later, in t7iS. 
four other men were each paid i.5 
shillings 4 iience for drnmming. The 
three Xew England met'nods of call- 
ing the woi"shi|ipers to ihe meeling- 
hoitse were by the conch shell, the 



drum, and the bell. We had at this 
period reached the second stage of de- 
velopment. — the drum. .\ccording to 
.an old hynni, 

".\ew Engl.aiul Sabbath day 

Is heaven-like, still, and pure. 
When Israel walks the way 

Up to the temple's door. 
The time we tell 

When there to come 
By lieat of drtun 

Or sounding shell." 

- Another industrv. mostly siiecidalivc. 
a'nsorbed much time .and attention, — 
the search for valuable ores and the 
previous metals. In 1651 the General 
Court authorized John Wintlirop, after- 
wards the sixth Governor of Con- 
necticut, to search for nfines and nnn- 
erals. and set up winks for i>periting 
the mines when found. Mis success. 
especi.alK' with the iron works al Xew 
Haven, w.as snlficienl lo iMiconrage 
every land-owner here to believe un- 
told wealth was just within reach. 
Deeds of land freipiently appear u|)on 
our records reserving pjrecions metals 
shoulil such be discovered. The town 
committee, in 1712. leased to William 
Partridge and Jonathan Belcher. for 
eight years, "all mines .ami minerals. 
iron mines onl\' ex- 
cepted, already found out and discover- 
ed and hereafter to be found and dis- 
covered." Two years later eight indi 
vidnals lease to Xew York merchants 
the right to dig for "oar of Lead or 
other sort of mettle wdiatsocvcr." for 
sixtv vears. The mineral mostly 
sought hereabouts w-as black lead. 
John OMham, afterwards nuirdered by 
tile Indians, traveling through Con- 
neclicut in i6.;3, brought b.ack "some 
black lead ore, of which ihe Indians 
said there was a whole ipiarry." In 
1657 the Tunxis Indians sold lo Wil- 
liam Lewis and Samuel Steele "the 
hill from wdiencc John Standly and 
John .\ndrews brought the black lead. 
and all the land within eight miles of 
that hill on every side." I he sale 
of this hill was confirmed by deed of 
Pethnzo and Toxcronnock in 1714. 
This famous hill, with all its treasure, 
has disappeared from view as coni- 
plelely as the fabled island of .-\tlantis. 
often sought, never found. The Rev. 
H M. Chipnian. in his "History of 
llarwinton," is authority for ihe state- 
nieul ih.at sundry citizens of th.it town 
.and vicinity, to the number of live 
hundred, headed by three venerable 
clergymen, on a day appointeil, re- 
paired to the woods supposed lo con- 
lain the black lead, and, forming a 
long line, marched all day after the 
m.anner of beating the woods for game, 
to make sure of llie discovery of the 



104 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




I III. iici\\ iiiii^ I'l \M i:i 'iihiAi I 111' iKwi, i!_ Tl;Anl.uA^. 




1:1 sihi \i I C.I III i:ii| 111. u.hi.UM w. 




ni:sii)i';\( 1; i,v u n.i.is r n w is 




'H'"'-'"' 



fill 'i% 



9 ' 
"-■ — r • f 



^r^ 




i:siiii:mi-, iik i: f, riwis. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES, 



105 




■Tin; .MAl-l.l..- 



iK\ll.HL\ THK .lAMI.s \\. (.oULi;.S I'LAl K— UKSllJKM I. nl' ..ISIA- 
VUS COWLES. 




THE JOHN L), HILLS PLACE— RESIDENCE OP FRANK W. RIVERS AND F. L. SILVERNAIL. 




THE CILXKLES HILLS PLACE— RESIDENCE OF OSCAR LITKE. 



106 FARMINGTON. CONNFXTICUT, ^ 

I)l:u'k liaii li\ MHiu- of tlnii' nuiulur iiated in I'^armiiigton meadow near the instant use. Ins sjun. |iike, liayonet, 
WlietluT tin- stnr\ hail si.nie foumla- ei>rn mill of Capt. 'I'lionias Hart lying rapier. liaeK-^wDrcl, .incl cutla^^. I 
lion, or u.is mereK the juke of a mill in the Indian Xeck." .md S.inniel think there mnsl have heen a lire- 
islir nil his elerii-.d lirelhreii. dors iioi Hooker and .Stephen Root testify place in the nnini. for ue liiid luo 
appe.ir. hill llie lilaek lead is still nil- "that we s.iw Ije Indian Xannoneh heaters, two sin. .othin;; irons, a spit, 
diseosered. ilelmr two aeres of l.anil eoinmonlx' a jiair of liellows. two trammels, and 
One ,.f the most neeessarv iiistitn- '■'"''' ^'''^ I'"!''"'''' l:""! ^'f'"-'-' ""-'"- "'>"" '"■"'<^ "^■'■'-' ••"■>^' V'^" -"i^l '^'-•l- 
ti..iis in .a new settlement is the null. ""'i^'' '" •^''' -I"'"' ''•'"'^" "' H'"''!;"" 'I''^- l-"-^' •">'l -'"•'H- "' '"■'^-^ -"I'l 'ron. 
s.aw-mills lo pi-ovi.le Imiil.er for hoiis.s. ''-^ '!""'' ■""! '^^'-" '""" ancient 1 here is a ^oodlv display of shining 
.and urjst-mills to >'riiiil the viluat form of i on\e\ .nice liv the actual de- iiewter. tankards, plates, hasiiis, heak- 
and coin .Sonuiimc dmiii- the h\er> of a iiiece of the soil anrl ol ers. pcn'riiigers. cniis with hamlles, l.ar- 
1,1, 1 i^ii J, .;,,■, |,f ,||,. vill M'e lohii ''"' tinilier Krowini^ thereon. was rel cnps. pewler measurers of all 
I'.roiison s,M tip a null on ihe hrook douhtless more intelhKihle to the In- sizes, anil pewter liotlles Here is 
iherc.ifter known ,rs t le Mill Hrook diaii mind than the drawini; a picture nuich wooden xv.ire. earthen ware, and 
and siihseiiiu iitK as the I'lilliii" Mill "' ■''"' totem .it the hotloin of a e\eii china ware, .iiid here the family 
llrook. .Mid which riiinmi" down the piece of p.iper inscrilicd with "Know supplv of medicines. M.itthew's i)ills. 
monnl lin. crosses .\l.iin .Street iusi •'" """ ''-^ these presents." and other lilisieriiiK sihe, and sundr\ drugs 
iiorlli of the house of ilie kite h'dierl |"Miderous forinul.is. whose names I musi lea\e for the pro- 
Cowles. hNci r.efore ih^o he had sold \\ ilnoiit goiiii; more .at length into fession.il pr.aclil inner to transcrihe. 
jt to 1 )e.icoii Slepheii I I. 111. u ho di- ' ' "^' imhislries of the men of tliat da> . Here are the goodm.in's mone\ scales 
scrihed the premisis as "one parcel on '' i'" time we g,i\e some attention t. and s\cights. his spectacles, and .lis li- 
whirh a mill sijudeth with a suanni ''"' eipiall\ lahorious occupations of lirary. a colleclioii of hooks wdiich 
• ,i|j, lining to it in uhich the mill their wi\es and daughters. Perhaps would luo e heen called .L;ood Suiuku 
\v.iler Cometh .nid coiiiamiih all the •'"' '"■^' "''-^ '" ihistrate the suhject reading litt\ >e.irs ago, 1 hey arc an 
lanil til, It the coiiiitr\ nave lo lolin '^ '" '■''^'' ^ "" '" ''"' li""^c- of a well- old liilile. .a ps.ilm hook, and other hooks 
lironson there, except the house lot " It to-do fanner .iiid inspect the house- eiiutled "1\( ).\l Ml ( )1'I'.\ 11 .\. Or a 
was proh,ilil\ a saw-mill In .a grant keeping .and .ill the surroundings of its Discourse Concerning Comets; wherein 
of 1(1X7 w( heir of the l'|iper Saw- inm.ates. We will call on the ,loth the X.ilnre of lllazing Stars is I-ai- 
l\ij|| I'ond 1 )e.icoii Stephen Hart "' ^^''y- ' 7 1 -'• ^'t t.ie house of .Samuel quired into : With an Historical .Account 
gave the mill in his lifi-tmie to his lindle\. which. as 1 ha\e already of all the Comets which have a))- 
three sons. |olm. Sli plun, .nid I lioin- nieiilioned. stood near the site of the peared from the I'.egiiming of the 
as. In 171J the town "gLiiited unto hoiise of the l.ile k'.ghert Cowdes, Esq. World unto this ], resent Year, lOS,?. 
John lironson liheiu to lunld .1 full- ' '"' ''■'•'^' '■" ■' Ihtle Later than 1 I'.) Increase -Mather," "Time 
iiig mill ii|ioii the hrook ih.it conielli could wish, liul our knowledge of and the I'.iid of Time." lieiiig two dis- 
iliiwn the momilain li\ [onalhan ll'c' house is hetter than that of any courses hy Re\' John l-'o\ of Wohurn. 
.Sinilirs. and also the iiiipro\ emeiit of other. We will examine, not what Mass.. 1701 "Zioii in Distress, or the 
,,, niu, h l.md .IS is iiecess.irx lo set a iniglil h.i\e heen seen in such .1 lioust I iro.iiis of the I'rotestant Church;" 
null upon. ,ind l"or d.immiiig in aii\ ■'! '''''I Imie, hut what llie appraisers, printed 111 lOS.i f.ir Saiimel I'lnliiis. 
pi. ice luiwien lonalh.iu Smith's lot John W.idsworlh. John I'orter. .and 'S]iiritu.d MiiLiiiin k." 'Ihe Cii|iardon- 
;iiii| |..hii ll.irt's, provided he do not Is.iac Cow les, found there tli.it da\, ahle Sin," "Dume rro\idence I ipeneil." 
daiimif. llie cart wa\ " In 1 77.S the •md made solemn o;illi that tlie\ ".NLin's chief 1-iid to (dorilie Cod, or 
town gave .Sidomon I'owles, I lioinas found. Tile female inmates of the .Some I'nief Sermon — .Votes on I Cor 
Cowles, Is, 1,1c I'lidwell, \nios t'owles house we ;ire to iiis]iei t were the m ,i 1 — 1!, tile Ke\ereiiil .\lr John 
,inil riimelris Cowles "lii)ert\ to erecl widow M:ir\ and her ihii'e d.iughters. Ikiilej. .Sometinie rre.-icher and rrisoii- 
oiii or luorr yrist mills 011 llie hrook .S;ir;ili, a girl of eighteen who .after- er of Christ at Limerick in Irel.nid. ;tiiil 
i-alled the I'nlling Mill l.rook." I heir ward iiririied .Xathanicl (/ow les, M,ir\, now I'aslor lo the (/linrcli of Christ in 
lietitioii sels forth "la, It .illhoimh. aged four, who dud unm.irried. .nid W.iterlown 111 .\'ew-ICngland " lO.Si). 
there is one grist null now 111 said Jerusli,i, ,1 hahe of four iiioiiihs who "C'omiiieiitar.\ on h'aitii." "How to W.alk 
society. \ et il does iio| .at .ill lime' afterward iirii 1 led .Xchemiah Lewis with ( iod." "Ihe Wonders of the' In- 
well accoimnodate the jieople with We "iH enter h\ t;ie iiorch which \ isihle World." h\ Ke\ . totloii Mather, 
giindmn. lor m cert;iiii seasons of the opens into the Irdl. on eillier side of a \er> famous hook on witclicr;ift in 
\ear s:iid mill is rendered eiiliieU use which ,iie the p.irlor .ind kilclun, ;ind Salem and elsewhere, .nid on the ordi- 
less hy reason of llooiC, ice, etc, hack of .ill the le.iiilo ( )\ er I'acli n.ir\ de\ices of the de\il It was :iu 
wliereh\ the people are ohiiged to room except the le.iiit.i is ;i chainher, swered h\ Kohert Calef's ".More Won- 
caii\ their colli IIm- or six niiles |o and ii\er ;ill the g.inet In the p.n-cli ,),■,-, ,,f the Invisihle World." which w as 
j^,.| it ijrouiid " Ihe inference is \i e liiiil much which li.id lefereiice lo liiirneilh\ oiilerol Dr 1 iici ease M :ither. 
that the Insl mill on the hrook was a oiit-of-door life, and which the inodeiii I'lesnleiU of ILiiward (.ollcge, 111 the 
s,aw mill hiiill hefoie 1O50, llie second hoiisewiie would certaiuK ha\e re- college \aid We liiid also. ".Some 
a fulling null hiiilt in 1 7 u, and that i|iiested .Mr ( ii idley to hesiow idse .\ccoum of the- Life of lleiir\ ( iixiring." 
the Inst grisi mill w:is hiiill on tin where, harnesses, saddles, the pillion, 1,^ | Shower, "-\ Warning to prepare 
ri\er wnere a null h.is heen siist;inied and |)illion clolh on which llie good- f,,r Death." a Xew rest.iiuenl. "A 
to llie ina-seiit d;i\ 1 lind .111 c;iil\ wife rode heliind her Imsh.ind to li.iok 011 Xmnheis," whether an arilli 
nieiition of h 111 the \ear 1701, which church or el-ewliere. ,a iliesi and tools. nielic or a comment. ii\ on one of llie 
conlains sewial poiiils of mleiesi In a cut rope, a steel trap, .and sundr\' h.ioks of tin- reiitatenCi does not ap- 
ihat vear Weneiiio. an Indian, st.de other lliinns l-.nlering the hall we ]ie.ar. "a law hook, and sever.il pic'ces 
"a good lire lock gun" from John imd the fiirniture lo consist of .a |,f l,ooks." 'Ihe latter entr\ seems to 
Hates of ll.ii|d;iin. .and anollui Indian. wainscot clust, ,1 t,ihle, a great ch:iir, show tlril the lihr.ar, was iiiucli read. 
Xannoneh. m save his friend Iroin ihe f,,nr lesser ones, three cushions .and and evi-n the fragineiils of hooks were 
very serious coiise(|ueiices. mortgaged ,, pJH.iw. Here are stored the amis carefnlK |ireser\ed. loom the hall 
to said Hates "two acres of kind sH vvliich iwerv 111.111 must Irive reail\ for we pass to the kilcheii. where we lind 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



107 




Mwitii^gajMi 



RESIDENCE OF GUSTAVE A. WOT.LENBERC. 




THK ROIiRirr (;\I.T,\c:iii,i; ri.Mi; 
UESIDKXCK (IK Ml! 11. W llnw M{l> 





OI'KUIA (il- MI.'S. I'M I. F. UOM.KNUKHC 



CAXOE CLUB IIOISE. 



108 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




i:i:siiii:\( i: or mi:s i'\ii. |- \mii,i,i:\i'.i:i:(: 




1.1 i:XTr# 



rui)i'i:i;'i"i (ik .11 mi s c w 

ISIIilAi 1; (11- TIMd-nn .\|r( MiTIIV. 








KKSIIllAlK III' ri.l.'ICII (.noliriKI.l). 





I SIlPl.Ni I "I M 1:- I |i\\ m;|i w II I I I 



riiOI-l-llfTV OF 1 I 1 

ni'siiii:\i 1: (II' i.iiiis Ti;nni:i.i.. 







,<"'. Tl. /-r- I--- ..V 



niMiii.M I ni iii;\i:v issiciniAX. 




\ii: I s \i \so\ 

•\\lo\(. I'lll, I \l;\ \TIilNS.' 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



109 



in the big fireplace a pair of cast-iron 
lire (logs weighing sixty-four pounds, 
two pairs of tongs, a peel, two tram- 
mels and a jack. The furniture 
seems scant\-, a table, a chest, a truckle 
bedstead, a great chair and two small 
ones. Sundry baskets, keelers, tubs, 
pails, and kettles stand around. The 
main features of the kitchen, however, 
are the loom, the great wheel, two 
linen wheels, a hand reel, and the 
great piles of linen sheets, pillow bears, 
table-cloths, towels, and napkins, large- 
ly no doubt the production of the loom 
and wheels, and large supplies of yarn, 
tow, and flax for further manufacture. 
Spinning and storing up vast supplies 
of spotless linen against their wedding 
da.\ . were tlie great accomplishments of 
the young maiden. We read of spin- 
ning matches which lasted from early 
dawn to nine o'clock at night, the con- 
testants being supplied with food Ii\ 
other hands while they w'orkcd, and 
linally with bloody fingers .sinking from 
sheer exhaustion. Spinning bees iiave 
continued until within a few years hi 
some rural districts. 1 remember as 
late as the fall of 1859, passing, on a 
by-road near Farmington, Maine, just 
at sunset, a merry procession of young 
women with their great wheels carried 
by young men, on their way to a con- 
test with the spinners of the next vil- 
lage. Let us now inspect the parlor, 
then as since the crowning glory of the 
house. We find a bedstead with a 
feather bed and a great supply of 



blankets and coverlids, and hanging 
over all. a set of calico curtains with a 
calico vallance to match A warming- 
pan, a most useful article in a cold 
room, completes the sleeping equip- 
ment. Other furniture is thre- 
chcsts. a trunk, a round table, a great 
chair, three little ditto, a joint stool, 
and live cushions. There is also a 
cupboard and a carpet for said cup- 
board. A carpet was not a floor 
cloth but a cevering to furniture often 
showily embroidered by its owner as 
a specimen of her skill. Probably a 
green rug, valued at five shillings, was 
for the floor. Here are Mr. Gridley's 
pair of pistols and holster. There now 
remains clown stairs only the leanto, 
which will not detain us long, though 
it probably detained Mrs. Gridley 
many a weary hour, for here are the 
cheese-press and churn, the butter tubs, 
and all the machinery of the dairy, 
and, last of all, an hour-glass with 
which the various mysteries of the place 
were timed. This hour-glass is the 
nnl\ instrument for the measurement of 
time I find, except the watch and clock 
of Rev. Samuel Hooker. The sun 
dial answered very well when the sun 
siione. and a blast on a conch shell when 
the good wife decreed it to be dinner 
time, called the village home at noon. 
If you please we will now walk up 
stairs. In the parlor chamber we 
lind a bed with a silk grass pillow and 
two leather pillows weighing ten 
pounds, and a goodly supply of blan- 



kets, coverlids, curtains, etc. There 
are a number of chests and boxes and 
twenty-one pounds of yarn, and there 
was room left somewhere for Mr. 
Gridley to store 50 bushels of wheat 
and 80 of rye. a practice which the 
tidy housekeeper of to-day might not 
approve in her best chamber. It was, 
however, the custom to store grain in 
the house where it would be under the 
protection of the household cat, as we 
see illustrated in the picture books of 
to-day. 

"This is the cat 
That killed the rat 
That ate the malt 

That lay in the house that Jack Iniilt." 
In the hall chamber we find a feath- 
er bed and belongings and a great 
store of wheat, barle\', corn, and peas 
in baskets, bags, and barrels. The 
|)orch chatnber is given up to malt. oats, 
and peas. In the garret are 10 bushels 
of rye and 100 of indian corn. If 
,\i>u care to inspect the cellar you will 
lind it pretty well filled with barrels of 
pork, beer, soap, hops, oatmeal, and 
(ilher family stores. Here we must 
lake leave of Mrs. Gridley and her 
household treasurers, pleased no doubt 
lliat our lot has fallen two centuries 
later, and that seven generations of 
men have come and gone and left us 
the better for their hardy industries 
and honest lives. 

*.\n historical address delivered at 
the annual meeting" of the lillagc Li- 
brary Co. Sept. 14, 1898, bv Mr. Julius 
(niv. 




SUNSET ROCIv. 



110 



FARMTNGTON, CONNECTICUT, 













'-^*^^s^- 



Rl.SIIU.N'l-K OK lilIIX HAdSTKOM. 



> M \ M.l,^ M \,--'i\ 





('AIII.SUN'S S'lTlllO. 



i;i;siiii'.M'i'; oi'' \ii:s w M sii\M,i-n'. 







KKSIIlKMi; OF MliS, (., N. WIIII'IM: 




I ; I M I > I \ ' I 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTTFUL HOMES. 



Ill 




Tin-. .lAMKS SOlTHKIiGlLL PLACE, liUSI- 
DENTE OF C. J. CARLSON. 




I(Esiiii:N( i; (ik thos. ii. ( ollins 

AM) It. .1. H.\HTEI!. 




lIESIhEXCK OE IUAL CHIDSKY 
AMI MI{.S. MACCIK fiALL\(;HKR. 




1'I:(im;ui'-\ oi' n, n. ii.Mi.Ni-.'i . 









■■a" •-: -, -- 



E. \\ . in UMll IM'S lil.M'K.S.Ml I II , Uil'. 



••i*;^ 





RESIDENCE nl- .\ 



112 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





HK.SlDKNll'. (11- U. \ l:ils~U I 
KNl) (ITTCI Mvl.SDN. 



RF.SII'I.M 1, ul IIAlua l.'KiMIS. 




/ 



rnrr 




Ki:siiii:\(i: di' \ii:s s k i.iiumis 



KKSiuicNi 1. til I KLiJ 1. (.ii.i;i:i: r. 





I'ltiPl'l.li n I II' Ml>^ II 1,1 X s I;K WIIKC 

ki,siiii:m i: (H-' u \i i iiihsiin 



IM Mi>i:\i i: iM II \i:i:'i i: i:i;r. 




HI'.SIIlKNCK (11' IlllIN l,"il i:m;. 




i.'i siiii:\t I I H » \ I -. I- ^\i I I ,1 



r ii 



mill IDj^i.v^^..^-:^ 

^. nil II rlBfiiT,"^ -;£^*^'-' 



rillll'I.U I \ III II u;; i:. 

■n'.I.KI'IIONH IC.VCII.WCK. .WD H ICSI DIIXCK 
or ilKNRV S'l'KI.MKT/,. 




\\ M MM 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



113 



St. Ipatrick's HIMssion, 



^~rf ARMIXGTON was detached 
T^ from Bristol in February. 1885, 
^^ and assigned to the jurisdic- 

tion in Plainville. The first 
disciples of the faitli in this 
handsome old village were Thomas 
Smith. Lawrence McCahill, John Reilly. 
John Brady, Mrs. Mary Skelly and 
Jcihn Flood. The first mass was said 
in the early fifties in the present resi- 




FATHICR RODDAN. 

fkiice of John Flood. The Catholic 
population of Farmington is chiefly Irish 
and numbers 200 souls. Mass is said 
evcr\- .Sundav in the brick church pur- 
chased by Rev. Patrick Duggctt, and 
dedicated in the honor of St. Patrick. 

*/j_V Samcs II. O'DonncIl in the His- 
tory nf III,- Piocrsc of Hartfurd. 

Mr. John Reilly is the authority for 
the statement that mass was said by 
Fatiier Duggett in what is now the resi- 
dence of Mr. Henry Rice on Cedar 




KATiiKi: w \r.sn. 
street some fifty years ago. In those 
days it was custoniary to say mass in 
private homes in the different towns. 
M.iss w.i> also said regularly at the 
li'inie lit .\lr. Reilly's brother at the 
"Ciip]nr .Mines" near Whigvillc. Some 
of the priests who have officiated in 
harniingliin .arc h'athcr Daley, Feather 
Hart, h'atlu-r Duggett, Father Roddan, 
and Father Walsh who has charge of 
the parish at present. 





Tllh: .lOll.N l''L00l) PL.\t:K. 

Ttic t'lrst mH.-ia ill l''armin[itfm — said in llic liouse in titc rear. 



114 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 



XLbc Ibart Jiuj. 

1032. 




(IM> .hi: HliOI'(il[T FUOM KNCU.ANI) IN 111:!-.' BY STIOI'IIKN HAIiT. 



'I 111- ^■llri'lll^ old iu.y sluuvii ill ilu- :ir- 
ci'iiipanv III;,: illiisi r.iiii m \v:is limiiijlit to 
lliis riiiiiilr\ III Ki.iJ 1p\ Sti-|ilu-ii Il.irl 
fii'iii I'jiMiiii I c", Sii^>rN Cti , l'.nt;laiii| 
Mr Il.irl -illlnl III .^l,■l^-,.■ll■llll^cll'. I'ay 
:iiiil ill I'l.V) w.is a pml^rii-tur al Hart 
fnril, ('null Ilu- rroM(ls slmu th.it in 
Ifi7_' lu- was iiiK- I'i ilu- riL^lil \ -t< lur 
Jilt i|)ru-ti trs ril l''ariiiiiii;h 111. .mil piir- 
chascd laiiil III till' liiiliaiis at a place 



ii'uv knnwii as "i'ulri linml;" He die I 
Marcli. |ii^_', .'i^rd 77 ,rars. Vhe jua 
li.is ri'iiiaiiu-d 111 ilu- l'.iiiiil\ ever since 
ils prrsriil inviK-r M i.s l--llru lllaii/ 
/'r;)i/n,i,' liiiiiL; iif Ilu- iiiiiili j;eiu-ratinn of 
ll.irts uliii have possessed it. In llie 
li,iekL;roiiiid of Ilu- photograph is a .very 
lie,iiilifiill> decorated servin;.; tray in 
perfect eoiuliiion. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



115 



3From tltp itaru at <x 

at} 

/] X ALL of tliu wars of this 
^^U country, from the very earli- 
^^^ est times, Farmington had 
soldiers of vviinm she was just- 
ly proud. P.iit unfortunately 
detailed history of the individual sol- 
dier is rarely to be obtained, and it is 
with genuine satisfaction that we are 
able to print the following concerning 
Colonel Fisher Gay who gave his hfe 
for the country he loved so well, dur- 
ing the war of the Revolution. 

The follozi.'ing a/^l'cars in I'ol. 28. 
Magazine of Aincriean History. 

Diary of Lirulrnniil-Culoncl Fislicr 
Gay. .Original in eare of .Mr. Julius 
Gay. of Farmington. 

( Colonel Gay went to Boston from 
Connecticut with rc-inforcements, un- 
der Colonel Erastus Wolcott, toward 
the close of the siege. In 1776 he com- 
manded a State Regiment, was taken 
sick in Camp, at New York, and died 
on the day of tlie Haltic of Long Is- 
land.) 

"Feby. 2. 1776. Set off for headquar- 
ters to join the .Army under the com- 
mand of General Washington before 
Boston, and arrived at Roxbury 6th of 
said month. Stationed at Roxbury with 
tlie Regiment I belonged to and (|uar- 
tered at Mr. VVyman's with Colonel 
Wolcott, and Mr. Perry. Was sent for 
by General Washington to wait on his 
excellency 13th of said month, and was 
ordered by the General to go to Con- 
necticut to purchase all the Gunpowder 
I could. 

Went to Providence and from thence 
to Lebanon to Governor Trumbull, 
where I obtained _> tun of the Govern- 
or, and then to New London to Mr. 
lamford, and obtained from him an 
order on Messers. Clark ami Xightingill 
ill Providence and returned to Camp 
the 19th and made report In the Gen- 
eral to his great satisfaction, 

20th. Took Rhubarb and worked well. 

2ist. Sergeant Maggot (Hed in Cap- 
tain Hart's company. 

24th. Went to Cambridge and Wa- 
tertown. 






4 /-■ .L'y^/wnu^/ijiMti^^}^.. 









■^'"7„.!}, iJZ('^] 


















F.IC .sj \llli: ( ol.oMl, CAVS (OM.MISSIOX. 




26th. Unwell by a bad cold and sore 
t'nroat. Was officer of the day. and 
very much fatigued going the rounds 
at night. Returned and got to bed at 
about ,1 o'clock in the morning. 

27th. Returned at 9 o'clock and made 
report to General Ward, being so un- 
well Major Brewer carried it for nie 
bard sick wit'n pleurisy and got to 
lie sweating and came on an alarm and 
reported that the regulars had got on 
to Dorchester. I turned out and on 
with my boots to join the Regiment 
although advised not to by Mr. Perry 
and others. It hai>pened to be .1 false 
alarm. The doctor came in .ind blood- 
ed me and sweat at night and physicked 
the next day. Nothing materi.al more. 
Our people began cannonading the town 
of Boston the 2nd day of March .at 
evening 11 o'clock. Continued Salibath 
and Monday evening, nights. Monday 
evening I went on to Dorchester Mill 
with the regiment as a covering parl\ 
2500 men sent on ,ind were relieved on 
the morning of the .stli by 3000 men. 
That night we throwcd up two forts 
on 2 advantageous hills. 1 lie eiiem\ 
made an attempt on the (ith at evening 
to come out to disposses us of rmr forts 
and drive us off the hill. The uiml 



proved contrary and we continued forte- 
f>'ing until Saturday evening — that is 
the loth — we went to go on Hook point 
to fortify. The enemy prevented by 
firing about 1200 cannon. They killed 
4 men for us with one cannon ball. 
Providence so ordered that I went out 
of the way of danger from any other 
quarter only from the castle. 

Sabbath morning had orders from 
General Thomas to return to headquar- 
ters. There saw the 4 dead men. Came 
off the hill at evening. I commanded a 
party of 400 men from the castle. 

Nth. Colonel Woleolt on the liill. 
.\n alarm in the morning I ordered the 
regiment to meet before the Colonel's 
doors after prayers. I marched them 
ofif with Major Chester. Near the alarm 
jiost, found instead of going to action 
the enemy had abandoned Boston. 500 
troops ordered immediately. Ordered to 
march into and take possession of the 
fortilieations in Boston. Colonel Lear- 
naril, my self. Majors Sprout and Ches- 
ter with a number of other officers and 
troops marciicd in and look possession 
and tarried there until the 19th at night; 
then returned to Camp at Ro.xbury. 
never people more glad at the de- 
parture of an enemy and to see friends." 




"""wvaa 



SWORD CAKHIKD IN TilK WAH OF TirK HKVOHTION BY fOlAINKI, FISHKU fiAY- 
NOTIC'E THE ENOH A VEI) MOTTO ON TIIK KI.AIlf. "KliKKnOM OH DE.VTH." 



116 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



A lutqur 
(EnUrrttmt. 



/I X DHLVlXi; in tin- niiiu-s 

^^*J tlii'i'L' iiui^l lie a ciMiliiuial iii- 

^^0 Irrc'.t t'l MH' what may ln' uii- 

cci\ ci"cil ; il nia\ l)i' a uhikKt- 

fiil Ci-d.li' 111- a i,.ickrt (]f kdIiI. 

In ^t-aia-iiiny anmnn tile \ aliens ma- 

ti'rial i>f I'aianinj^li '11, wr ueir a'-tmi- 

i,-.lic(l iiiiK-eil t.i iMiil tlir^e umidrrful 

I'rruviail i'eniaiii> Snim- distaiirr In mi 

llu- trcilk->' anil in a \v\-\ (|iiiit iU'iL;li- 

liorli 1 we re-ilisciivcrcil tlu'-^e wmi- 

(lirfiil iriics, arran.ueil in our of ihr 
l'"anniii,ulini liMinr^ It is trne llial Mr. 
lldiikiT had hioiii;lit tliciii fr.nii IV-rn 
some \rars ■.vi,y\ and iiidsI nf tin- di-- 
cn\(r\ hi'ldii.ys III liiin. ami aKn inan\- 
thanks fur allmviip^ lis tn iisr tluin in 
tliis vviirk As wr read wlial he has 
writlrii (nncerniiv,; tlk-ir uses and dee- 
nrali\'e \alno. it is alsn \'erv inleresiiim 
til li-aiii that llie\ are i|iiile like the 
utensils (if thai nnsleriuns earl\- |ieii|ile 
.if niir eiinntrN. llie Mniiinl Hitililrrx 

It is eertainl\ a heanlifiil n illeelii m, 
and every speeiiiieii is iierteel. Mr, 
ilniiker writes as f.illiuvs ahinit them: 

This aneieiil I'ermian |intt('r\ was ex- 
liimied fnim the hnrial iniiiiiids cd the 
earliest knciwn inhahitaiils nt that innii 
lr\ rile --iieeiiiiens are Irian j in In 
III I J ill. in lieii^hl. red. L;re\ and hlaek 
in enlnr. are all nn.nla/ed and slmw \ari 
lilts stages in the eeramie art, Imm 
eiiarse iiiiiirnaineiiteij i;niiiil like Inrins 
Id e,irve(l and jinlished vessels elnseK 
resemlihny (ireek .mil l,.itiii anil'linrtit-. 
Tliev are inileeil iiearl\ .ill w.aler ernfls. 
Slime arraii,L;eil Inr e.irrvini; in the h.iiid. 
iillu'i's fur siispeiisii 111 .Several .are 
111 iriiiieiileil willi the liriish .IS well .as 
with the tiiiil .Siiliie nf the speeimells 
are ilesiniiedly j;riitesi|iie. tun .ire |irn- 
vided willi a emil ri\ aiiee wliieli eiiiils 
a wiiistle when waler is ]iiiiireil in 
.Miuh nf the wiiik in shape and iiiii.i 
ineiit.ilinii is like til, It nf the Mmind 
r.nilders ,-iiiil of iilher iMrl\ ]i.nples nf 
Xnrlli \iiieriea. .iiid iii,in\ nt the \es 
sels iiia\ lie sei-ii miiiiiteh repealed in 
ntlier eiilleetiniis nf reriivian Imae.is 
1 liriiiiKlit this pntler\ frniii rein in 
'.SS. 

V'erx I rill \ MUirs. 

W A II sKK, 

I'.iriniiiKliiii. June ,<i>, ii)ii(i. 






THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



117 




THE UESIDEN'CE iM- n, N. ll\lt^r:^ riiii: .hiiin nok-tox I'I.ali;) 



■ 




(•o'i"r\(;i: \t \k s. iiAUNKV's-— kksidknck ok NA'I'IIANIICL slocombk 
(Photos by N. Slocomhe.) 



118 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





•Tii]: c_i:ijAi:s" Tin; umi .hhaii wdiji.kiikf i'i.\( i; i r.i ii.iii:i; i.i i.n 

TKIXAI. Cincilj IIKSIDKNCI': ilK IIIAIM ( '. HICK. 




Tin: MOST ULAI Til I I, MMi.i: l\ 1 \UM1X(;T0-\— AT TIIK •■('KDARS.' 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



119 




KKciNi' liiiipii AT ■■Tin; I i;i)Ai;.s." 




•W 




wmj 



m 



t 7 . .^%l»^ vJ©ki^ l.*-^# 



FARM COTTAI.E A 1' -THE I'EDAliS.' 



\VM, A. HIHIKEirS COLLF.rTIIlN 111' I'KIUiX IAN WVII'II I KllFTS. (See a Vniqur. Collec- 
tion on {'at/' I III. ) 




TOOLS USKLl HV .IIIIAII W (li il iL'l FK— .s,(;<;i.«. ,i (,. /luir hi-<-u us, ,1 in th, trccliun u/ the 

Coni/reyatioual Church, 



120 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 



m-. 







■■••"»»,.> 



■'***Wv4 



.^^. 



.Mdi .,1 ,1 . .rki,,(, 1 \i;M ri'iiii.i, I , 111 I II. \>. M i;i.\i ii ni.-.iiii..\i !■. i;ij|;r. Mcki.i:. 






tCJ. ' ..Ik-Vi*--'- J-J-.*'-.-;. • 




( lll.l;l:\ 'I'KI'.DS AT MIUNTMV SI'I.'IM. IXUM 



■^te'CV 




I'WiiAi f'o'fr vi;i: \'i' Miir\r\i\ si'Iiim: 

I'AltM 




TliH OLD \v\UD i-m:m NOW \ r\i;r or \ic.i \i\i\ si'Imno iaum. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



121 




m^^ 



I'lli; •■SIIA< k." \'l' Mill \T\I\ srillM. FAIJM 




RESII I _\n \ln\ IIAUmS. 




i\ii: i;\iii: cmxA hki.hncim: to miss .ui.ia s. hi!AMii:(;i 



122 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



jfanninoton anb the XHnbevorounb lRail\va\>. 



/] T IS hnrd to Ij^'lievt- mnv. ulini 
,^m7 the X..i-tli :iii(l Soinii an- lif- 
^^^ ciiMiiiii^ nmrr ami tiiorr cIhscIn 
joined, tliat at i>iie time hat nil 
was liitter hclwini th<- Iwn 
piirtiniis of tlic couiitrx. ami tliat hirr 
in i|iiicl [''armiiigtoii fcclinj; ran hit;h 
ami thr tn|4itivi'-sla\u law was opposrd 
ami iliM-(.-garik'<l liy soiin- liot-lu-ailnl radi 
lais calk-d abolitionists. I'or n-, ulio 
in this day are at all iiilensti-d m s,. 
cial (inestiotis, it is hard to iindrr-,tand 
win e\ery one was not an aliiditioni-.t 
i sn|)iio>e it was hard th.ii a^ now to 
decide every ([Uestion on it-- own merits 
So we give the lira\e ad\oeate^ and 
prophets of freedom the more honor. 
and easily forgive them their share m 
the distnrbances of the time. 

I lie I'mlergronnd Railwa\ was the 
name gi\cn. I suppose, to ;i route for 
fngiti\e sl.i\es from the Sotith |o Can 
ada, and I'armington is proud i>i the 
opprohiinm of being one ol its sl.itions. 
I he ronte led from Xew liritain en' 
Soiithington through to Siinsbur>', and 
several fugitive slaves were helped 
over this, no one of wiioni was cap- 
Inred. 

Mr Row I Na\s .)f these tunes "It 

i- true that .-ni oeeasiou.il h.ruilman 
found his u.i\ to C.in.iila fur freeilom 
hanninglon eili/eus had re.irl some- 
where: '\Vi- hold these truths to he self 
evident Ih.il .ill men are ere.iled Iree 
and ec|Ual. and h,[\e eerlain inalien.ihle 
rights, .nmaig \Uneh are life, liberty ,and 
the pursmi of happiness' ,So the 
llec-ing fiigitiv<' w.is fed ,ind hoitsed nid 
then sent on his wa> to liheil\ with .1 
blessing and .1 eheer. to gam in .1 
monarehy what was refused in a repub- 
lie ( )ne of the- strangers remained for 
,[ lime in t)ie emplo\' of a f.irnier Mis 
baek exhibited marUs of .1 fearful 
seonrging with .1 raw hash. In one ol 
the- stores he w.as aski'd ,is |o the sulYer 
ing. I'rell\ h,iril to be.ar, he said, but 
when the bleeding llesh u.is rubbed uilh 



rum, 'I tell ye, boss, that fetcried ye 
home from paster !' 

The daughter of one of the strong 
.abolitionists writes; "I remember m\ 
f,ither going to Hartford onee lo one 
of the hiding places wdiere a negro was 
concealed in a wardrobe in the house. 
It was winter ,ind sleiginng I he man 

w.as ]mt in the bultom of the sleigh and 
e'i\ered in suc-h .1 way as to res^-mble a 
l.p.id of feed He was hrongbt to our 
barn and there |i,assed on to another 
|il,iee of safet\ ,ind reached Can.id.a in 
due time " 

There were .about lhirt> .iholitii mists 
in town and e.ich had to sutler more 
or less fcM- the failii that w.as in him 
liers, rotten eggs — sometimes threats or 
worse Those were the days when 

helping one's fellow man w.as an .actual 
'nard f.act. costing re.al self sacrilice. 

The daughter of another iinanineiit 
abolitionist recalls her excitement o\er 
lliiugs for which she cliil nut know the 
re.ison. her feeling that all who were 
not in svuijiathy with her father were 
his bitter enemies, the m\ sterx that 
surrounded many ol his comings .ami 
goings Siie and her brother dug 

often in the griiund, hoping always to 
lind the "L'ndergroiinil Railway" 
I here were three stations in town, 
one Mr. Horace Cowles' house, one Mr. 
(ieorge Hurlburt's, .and the other Win 
.McKee's, the last house in I'.ii iinngli ni 
iiii the \\'aler\ille ro.id Th.' chmme\ 

of this house is still siamhng 

A colored man living in town, in .Mr 
(ieorge Hurlburt's house, often wiiil |o 
.Mr. I lijah Lewis' at night, gi\ing .a 
sign,cT Then they would go ,iwa\ to 
gethc r ( )ne night abnut nine o'clock 
.Mr. Lewis met this colored m.ui .and 
a sla\e wher^- the wolf-jiil road loines 
out b\ the llarlforil Turnpike. I lu\ 
followed the liigli ro.ad to the Deer 
Cliff T.irni .iml from there to .Simsbur\ . 
.Mr. Lewis once sold some land to 
J.ine and M.aria Thoin])son for (jeorge 
.\nderson, who was a fugitive shave 



.\ndersr)n hail expected to settle down 
in I'armiiigton, when one da\ he saw- 
in the sinrt a planter, a neighbor of 
the plantation from which he had es- 
caped. .-\ndersiin was afraid to stay 
and never was seen here again. 

.\ \er\' interesting story is told of 
Mrs. Hardy. One ila\ her father left 
home telling her not to answer any 
ipiestions that might he asked wh.ile he 
was awa\. .S.ie, ne\cr dreaming of 
asking wh> to an> of her father's re- 
ipiests, spent most of the long summer 
day on the doorstep, and saw in com- 
mon with the rest of the village a 
horse ciwered with l.ither hein.g driven 
franticallx through t.ie street. Later 
she learned th.il a sl.-ive b.-iil been hid- 
den in the s,,ii|liwest hedroi.ni and the 
man who droxe so furiously through 
the town was iiis owner. But the 
slave escaped. How we shnuld love 
to have helped! .\'ow we ha\e no 
furious galloping, no secret signals and 
m\sterious hiding |il,ices .-itteuding the 
freein.g of sl,-i\es. 

T'.efore me lies a curious sheet of 
pa|ier, a bit of anli-sl.-iver\ literature. 
\ bl,-ick kneels, his imploring hands and 
enokei! ankles chained together. T'.e- 
Tjw hnn is t.ie uioiin: ".Xm I not 
a ni.ui .uiil ,1 brother." Then follows 
,-[ piiein, the Tirsi \erse of which I 
ipiote : 

" T'orc'd from home .-mil all its pleasures 

\frics coast I lefl. forlorn ; 
III increase a stranger's treasures, 

( I'er the r,-iging billows borne. 
.Men from Tngland bought and sold me. 

Raid m\ price ill ]iaUr>- gold ; 
I'.iil ihongh shoe the> ha\e enrolTd me 

Minds .ire ne\er lo he sold." 

,\iid llieii .1 note; "T'.ugland h.-id 
,s!oo,iMio sl,-i\es ;iiiil she has miide them 
loni-:. .\ineric.-i has _>,_>5o,oik.i- and she 
Hill. IIS 'TiiKM T".\si I ! !." 
!•;. IT .1. in /(iniiiir^li'it Mttiiiiciiic. Sept., 
tool . 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



123 



8« 


St. James' l|>aiisb. 


mm 




ST. .I.\MES' Cliriicll. 
77/r I\c'i\ H. Gordon Miiiiro. Rector. 



ST JAMES' PARISH owes its bcginniiiH In the zeal and labor of tlie Rev. luKvanl R Broun and of Charles 
Loring Whitman, lawman. It was in tliis way. Mr. Whitman's agi-d father, lying at the point of death, desired 
to be baptized in the faith of the cliurch. This sacrament was administered by the Rev Mr. Brown and it w'as then de- 
termined by those present that a mission should be established in Farmington. Immediately after, October 3, 1873, 
the first service was held in tlie district scno.il house. In the folic. wing \car the chapel over the Post Office was 
prepared and services were held there for upwards of twenty-three years. 

The Rev. Edward R. Brown continued his ministrations until October. 1878, an<l Charles Loring Whitman died 
March o, 1886. He had a worthy successor in Charles Stanley Mason, as warden of the Mission and afterwards 
of the church, which office he has held to tliis <lay. 

The church was built in 1898, after, plans drawn l)y Henry II Mason: was consecrated June i, 1899, and the Mis 
sion was organized as St. James Parish, June 2, 1902. W. A. H. 



124 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICTIT. 



"JSii&8e^e\ne\v/' 



[t] 




i;lKli.sh\]AlLU , Kl MlilM |-, 1 1). AKlllliU I l;lUh.-,hM^ 




Mri'iii i; ,1 i'.iKiisi:\ i: 

Allli.iiisll :i laic .•K-(|iii-iliiiii li. laiiii 
inyhiii s.iiiit\. Mr Arilnir J. I'.inNi'v 
IS Miu- (if ii^ ninst iiulni^iaslir lili/cns. 
■■|'"ariiiiiij;toii, liisl, last and always." is 
his suiitiiin'iil. Mis clianiiiii;4 Imiiu-. 
■■llii'(lsivc\ii-\v," on llir c-(lj;c nf tin- 
MKiuiiiain (.MilciiiUiiiL; ilic village, is licrc 
illiislratcil. 




iNri:uiiii: \i' ■■iim!1isi:vi:\ ii:\\ 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



125 




IXTEKIOl! AT -Ul ItUSK VK\ IKW . 





ON THE HART llOMESTEAll AT CIDER BROOK 



126 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




KESIUEN'CE OF Jl.lSKI'll II M\(;S(.1\. 





iJiil 



HKSIliKNCK OK ('I1AUN( i;V WAIililON, 11 1 I III \1 ri.MK HKSIllENt K OE .Mill\ \ 

SKllCl.lIiSD. 




i;i,siiii;\c i; m m 



M I l,-| II |:l I IJ.U 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



127 



ki 


^ ^ ..^^ 




Mft 


^ 


imM 


- '; '^ • 


h^ 





UKSIDKNOE OF FRANK A. NEWHAUSKR. 




KKSinKNCI-: OF STF.PHEN BEU.KR. 




EIGHT ACRE BRIDGE. 




RESIDEXl'K OF FRANKLIN BLAKhSLEV. 



128 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





i':i;'r\ m- w m imkuH'IS, 







,'I.siiii:m i: uk w \i s, mi.k.s. 




i,'i;siiii;m i; m' Tiiumas ikhmmi.w. 







■ -5" N-.TTT' 
liDSnilCNC !■: (II'' IIKNKV T. S'I'IONSON. 




i;i:siiii;\( i: ni' ( ii \i;i.i;s M wsoN. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



129 





BUINS OF CANAL AQUKDl-l'T OVEU FARMINGTON RIVER. 



m 



R H-W'E on former occa.sions 
considered the libraries which 
our ancestors founded, the 
music they sang in the sanc- 
tuary, the scanty learning 
taught them in the old log schoolhouse, 
their noble services in the War of the 
Revolution and in colonial days, the 
venerable houses which sheltered them 
and finally the early industries of their 
laborious and \vorth\' lives. To-night 
we will go back no further than many 
of us can remember. What we have 
ourselves seen may pi?rhaps interest us 
quite as much as those things only our 
ancestors saw and of which tliev have 
left such meager knowledge. 1 pro- 
pose to speak of the Farmington Canal, 
an institution of great e.xpcctation never 
realized, to the capitalist a losing ven- 
ture, to the farmer a great annoyance, 
but to the boy of half a century ago 
the most delightful source of endless 
enjoyment. To-day the traveler, just 
before he is stopped in his rambles 
westward by the river, will occasionally 
find traces of a good-sized ditch, here 
overgrown with alders, there cut deep- 
ly between high banks of sand, and 
again totally disappearing with the 
march of improvements. Before it 

shall have been wholly wiped from tin- 
face of the earth, like a picture on a 
schoolboy's slate, let us for one evening 
recall it to mind ; in summer with all 



its gaily painted boats, its bridges and 
quiet depths, and in winter a highway 
for merry skaters. In the first place, 
however, let us for a moment consider 
the facilities for travel our townsmen 
enjoyed just before the days of the 
canal. 

In the year 1S22 the principal means 
of communication between the towns 
of this state was bv the ordinary high- 
way, sandy in summer, buri.d oi.t of si.nht 
by snow drifts in winter, and, when 
these began Id melt in the spring, of 
unknown depths. A charter for a 
turnpike road to Bristol had been 
granted in iSoi and revoked in 181Q. 
The Talcott Mountain Turnpike Cn,ii- 
pan\- was chartered in Ma.\, I7')S, tn 
run from llartfurd through I'armiii.L; 
ton to New Hartford, and the (ireen- 
woods Company, chartered six months 
later, was to proceed thence north- 
ward to the state line. .\l the same 
session the Hartford .nid Xew Haven 
Turnpike Compan\ was chartered, and 
these roads, with one on the east 
side of the l'"arminglon River from 
New Hartford to 'lie .Massachusetts 
line, constituted the turnpike facilities 
of this region. The traveler along 
these thoroughfares paid at tin 
numerous toll gates, according to the 
style of his equipage, from 25 cents if 
in a four-wheeleil jileasure carriage 
down to four cents if on horseback. 



.Sunday was in general a free day, 
not by any means for the encourage- 
ment of Sabbath-breaking, but because 
every one was supposed to be travel- 
ing to church or returning therefrom. 
Funerals were free. The soldier on 
training day, the freeman on his way 
t(j town meeting, and the farmer going 
to mill might all proceed on their 
way unmolested. Stage coaches were 
beginning to ajipear, bri'iii the hrst 
day of May a ci>aih was advertised to 
leave llartl.nd .>n Monday, Wednes- 
day, and hriday at ^ o'clock .\. M. 
and .irrise in Boston at S o'clock 1'. M. 
Fare, $6.50. Also we are informed 
that the "New Post-Coach Line Dis- 
patch, in si.K hours from Hartford to 
Xew Haven, leaves Hartford every 
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 
II o'clock A. M. precisely, and running 
through Farmington, Southington, and 
Cheshire, arrives at Xew Haven at 
5 o'clock P. M. ill Ihne for the 
steamboat. . . • The above line 
of Post-Coaches are new and in 
modern style, horses selected with 
great care .md are lirst-rate. drivers 
that arc e.sperienced. caieful ami 
stnnly." 

The broad Comieclicut furnished 
ample means of communication for the 
river towns, and in the year l8j_>, of 
which we are writing, any restless 
spirits who tvere unwilling to waste 



130 



I'ARMIXGTOX. CONNECTICUT, 





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I I i: I IS C. COOK. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



131 




UKSIDKXCK OF Ml!. KDCAK li, II ILLS. 




Tin; ri:.NTi,()\\ i'l.k i,. 

RESIDENCE OF THOM.\S ENO. 




RESIDENCE OF PItOF. IIO.MKll W. HILLYER. 




RESIDEN'CF OF MRS. lii\UI,l-..s l-..\( 




El'V^E^^ ' -" ■ ' ■■'■a*'' V»K ai 

RESIDENCE OF /,.U ILMCi T.VVLOK. 










)!i:sii)KN('i-: OF .iKssi; .mooue. 



parliink nf a iliimcr proxiilcil tor llu- 
occasion." 



132 FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 

liim- in l)calii)K asainst head wind- rival capital like others since their day. Previous to commencing the excava- 

conld leave Hartford for SayhrooU i.ii conmiended the wisdom of the New tion. (iox'. Wolcott delivered tiie fol- 

llu- ^leanihoal l:.\-p,-nuii-iil . Captain Haven people who were ahout to di- lownij; address: 

Haskell, on 1 ne^c!a> and lM-ida.\, and \ert the waters of the Connectient /■cllnw Clicriis iind Friends: —We 

retnrn llu- follow ini; da\ s. from llowint; pa-.! llanf(.rd ami tnrn are assembled on this amiiversary of 

Such were the means of intercom- them npon the nuid llats in which tiieir onr National Independence to per- 

nnmication in liie \ear iSjj when Jiio own shipping was nsuall\ stnck fast. fnrm an interesting ceremony. The 

miles of the h'rie Can.il were an ac- -At length by a In-illi.mt bit of linancier- time, the circumstances, and the ob- 

complished farl .nid bo.ats were lo ing the money was raised. The jecl of oin" meeting are calculated to 

run when Ihe season o|iened, Whv Mechanics Bank of New Haven was awaken rcHections and to suggest 

shoulil not this stale h:i\ e .i c.ni.il chartered on condition of its sub- thoughts peculiarly impressive. The 

also' .Sii ihonghl the pnhlic-spiriled scribing for $_>oo.ooo of the stock of noble enter|irise of uniting the Val- 

men of .New lla\en who, not con- the Canal Company. The plan of Ice of the Coimeeticut with the city 

tent with ii\aliiig Hartford in llieir reipiiring a bonus from a newly char- of New- Haven by a navigable canal 

foreign niiinnerre, wished aUn a w.iter tererl bank for some woriliy object is ibis dav to be commenced. To me 

conmmniration wilh the iiUerioi- towns, having been previously inlroihued with bas been .assigned the high iionor of 

< )n the Joth of January. i.Xjj, a meet- the I'boenix I'l.ink of llartforil and lirst appKing the hand of labor to a 

ing of citizens ficm se\enteen towns ((■ntnuied in the case of the Connecti- work which is itself magnilicent. 

on Ihe proposed line of the c.ui.il was cut River Hanking Coni]),in\ ami though, as 1 lirliexe. but the lirst of 

In Id at I'.iiiinngton with the Hon others. In Jul\, iSj.s. we learn from a series of like operations which are 

Tiinolhy I'ilkin as moderator, and a the Xew I lawn /\'i-.i,'i.v/i-r that "on to combine the resources of an ex- 

conunillee was appoiiUed lo procure a Monday the 4tb inst.int the ceremony tensi\e and llonrisbing comUry. . . 

snr\e\ ;ind r.iise one thons.iinl ilolkirs of commencing the e\ea\,ition of the ( ^^^ eoneludin" the address, the 

to p.ay for the same. In .\Iav, iSjj, I'.irnnnglon Canal Ir.ok |,l,,ce at Sal- g.^rrnor lug.ni the ceremony of ,lig- 

Ihe I'arnnngP.n Canal Comp.uiv w,is in,.n I'.n.ok vill.me in (,r,iiiby. The ^,j|,„^ ,,, ^^,|,,,.|, ],^. „..|^ assisted bv the 

charlere.l. 1 be canal w.is to run day was remark.ibly ple,is,int and the I'rcsidenl of the Canal Company. 

fi-oni the tide waters of the liarbor of exercises were ar.proi,riale .uid interest- After the performance tif this cere- 

Xew H.iven Ihrongh b'arminglon to ing, Ibere were from two to tiiree „„,|,^ ,;,,. ||,„, \|,. Lyman addressed 

Sonthwiek. .\l.iss:,clmsetts, ;md a thous.and pe.iple present on the occa- ,,,^. assembly. .\fter the ceremonies 

branch al.mg ihe 1-arnnngton River si(m, and among them s.ver.d gentle- ^^.^.^^, ,.,,„^.u„i,.,| a numerous company 

Ibrough \ew Ihartford to the iiorlli men of distinction from .M.issaebusetts. 

line of Colebrook, Tlu' hr.ineh. 'I'he b.arge fitted up hv (/.apt. Ceo. 

thou.gh Ihe subject of much afler con- Rowland of Xew ll;i\'eii. ilr.awn b\' 

troversv, w.as never built. (If Ihe four horses, in which he ,n,d several ^e used to hear that much of this 

six charier coimmssioners, C,en genllemen of onr ciU (New ll.iven) glonbcation occurred on the S.abbath 

Ceorge Cowles w.,s ibe member from einb,,rked for Soulhwick. gave an ad- ''■'>• ■""' "^'-'t "^''^ "'■''^ "\<^ ^''"'•'y "'^' 

Ibis town. :,n.| here thev held ibeir cliiion.d interest to the occasion. and '■"i''' '"-'"-''' b'-ospered. 1 be Pourth 

lirst nieeiniL; on ibe ,Sth of hiK. iSj-' i1k- sight of ii was h,.;hlv gratifvin^ to "' )"^'- liowever. that year fell on 

.Snhscriplion hooks were opened liiK .all present, the plan w.is well designed Mondav. and Oeacon Hookelr.^ a 

IMh .iiid Ihe sloekhohlers held tlieir and h.ippilv executed, and rellecls great """ ' '■'>->'■"'■ "f '''^' ''"ntan Sab- 

lirsi meelnm on Ihe list .uid ehos,- credit on the gentlemen who con- ''■'"'■ •""' '""- "'"' '""''^ 1''""' '" ''"'' 

iwenu-one direelors, of whom Solomon ceued the proje,! I he services ,,f eelebrat.on, writes. •■()n Satnr.k.va 

Cowles a, Ml S.muiel Demm^ were the dav were cnmienee.l with praver '"'■" "" ^^''"''^ '''''"" ''-^' '"'"' '^'"■"" 

two. In Ihe l.Mler ,url of the vear bv the Rev. Mr. i\lcLean, The Dec- ■"■'■'^'''' '" '""" ''■'"" ^'"'' "•'''■" 

iXj, a siirvev was in,,d,'. .and the es- laralioi, of Independence w,is read bv ''''^ aflernoon containing old Mr 

imiated cost of Ihe work u.is $4_.o,ooX- I he I Ion Tmioilu I'llkin. .in.l .iii able Hdlhouse. the superintendent of Ine 

S.S b-roin .a ni.,p of the c.in.al printed oration was deluered bv Ihirrage '•"'■'I- •""' ^■'■"''' "'' ^'-^ '^'''^■'' P^''-^""- 

n, iSj.S. yuiim dist.mees and ihe I'.eacb, Ks,| . afler which ,, procession " "^'^ ""'-'''^ "'"' ■' "'""' ^'^^'""S 

heigbls ,Mid posii, f ilie locks. it w.as fonn,-d under the eoinmand of ^""' •■"|-1^""> decorated with two 

ap|>ears liial ihis cm.al w.is onlv a Ceii ( ,eorge Cowles, whicli moved to "''.^^ ' ''' "^ ^'^■'" " ''^ l''"'"';'' 
.small pan ,,f a gran.l proiecl ll ihe north line ,.f ibe state m ihe fob ■h-,,riiniiglon (anal, and on each .side- 
was lo coimecl ,,t the sl.ile line wilh lowing or.ler. vi/: 'I'"'' Soulhwick X- Memphremagog. 
Ihe llampsbn.- .and Hampden Canal The Siinshnrv .\rlillerv, f^" Mon.I.iy." the deacon writes, "at 
lo be c.nslrncled in .\las„,cluisetls. Capt. Rowl.imrs bo.,1 dr.iwii hv six ^ "■'''■'■'^ "''- """■'""■g. I rode with 
and that in turn w.is lo he conlimied horses. |ilie reporter h.is ,iidicionslv hrolber Marliii t owlcs in a chaise to 
northward alony ihe west bank ,,f the increased the numher smee we s|arled| '■'•"'1'^ ^ '"■'K^' "'l"^" ■' '■"'8'^' ^'"iH-ourse 
Coimeclicul River. cn.ssing ,1 at in which were seale.l the ( e n ernor of oi people .assembled to celebrate .\men 
I'.rallleborongh inlo Xew llainpshne, ihe St.ite ; ibe I'rcsidenl of ihe (-,nal '■"' ln'l'Ten.lcnce and to perform and 
and Ibeii. somelimes m X,w llnnpsbne Coinpaiiv ; ibe orator of ihe d.iv. the "'"»■-■ '''^- '•>•'■'•'""">« "f 'irfaking 
.uh! somelimes m \ermom, il was Hon baialban 11 l.Muan ..f Xorib- -"■'""' '"' ''"' '■•"'""i.^'"" ^ ■'"■'^ 
lo reach l.,d.e Men,plMein:u,o.4 lliionuh ■amploii; the (/omimssioners and the ( ,ov. W olcotl read an address and 
wliieb eomieelion w.a, possible will, haigineer ; together wi'tb several of |Mrlonne,l the ceremony of hreaking 
the St, Lawrence Ku.r m Can.id.i ihe (/lergv. """""' ''^ 'I'Hguig a small bole with 
.\ grand scheme lo rival ihe b.rie Tin- Directors .md Sloekhohlers of •' -l'-"l^' '^1 '^ I-.vuiau. ol Xorih.m.p 

Canal in iin lance Siibscripl ions ihe Canal Comp.mv 1, .n. made an ad.lress on horseback, and. 

came in slowlv. The river towns Cili/ens from lliis slate ,ind .Mas- ■'f'-' ■' '"^ ""i^''' ^-'remomes, the 

laughed ,,| Ihe projecl winch was lo saclmsells. innllilnde relnrne.l lo Cranhv. an.l 

rival Ibeir br.,ad river. ,ind wrilers in Ihe procession, composed of .gcnile- •'l"'"> ''">'■ lii'"''''^-'! 'I'''^''' logether on 

ihe (e»,„v//,»/ C.i/co,/ who iniisi men in carriages. wagons. .and on '''>■ ^ '"■'■~>- -'■'■•^■" '""'^■'' ■' ^""''^■''^■ 

b.ive Iheir ioke at the expense of ihe horseback, was two miles in lenglb. Returned h.ane an.l arrived about ten 



THE VILLAGE OK BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



133 





liKSIIJliNCK II,' S\M1 I I, I l.i:,S\Vl)I.O. 



UKSIUK.NCK 111 I MM \i i:\ I. i.KI^Hi'i.ii 




LM FAliM," HESIDKNCK OK IL AHIINC K A. Al.llKliMAX. 




UF.SIDKM'K OK JOSKI'll II- 1111:1,1,. 



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I!i:.><iiii:nck ok kli.is casI' 



134 



FARMrXGTON. COXNECTICUT. 




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HKSIIlKM'K (II' I'llll.KNIlEli li, SAH(ii;NT 




THK X'lLLACF. OF BEAL'TI M'l. HOMES. 



135 



in llic L'vc-ning." Ami so the canal 
was begun. The governor said so, 
and the deacon testified to a small hole 
in the ground. The great concourse 
of people after nuich orator\ and 
drinking of toasts had gone home, and 
it is to lie Imped that all the valiant 
warriors wlin niarclied that day under 
General George got safely home 
again. 

.A little more than two years pass 
and the little hole in the ground reached 
from Southwick Ponds to the waters 
of Long Island Sound. Water was 
let into it in Cheshire and a corres- 
pondent of the Connecticut Coiiraiit 
writes: "On Saturday. November -'-)lli, 
the Cheshire summit being so far com- 
pleted as to be navigable, three boats 
anil a cannon were provided, and at 
.? o'clock, on the firing of a signal gun. 
the Petticoat Flag was hoisted on board 
the l-ayctic. and the boats started from 
the north end of section 63. On pass- 
ing the summit three cheers were given 
and one gun fired. On its safe re- 
turn three cheers were given and a 
Federal Salute of 24 guns fired. The 
ceremony closed by a plentiful refresh- 
ment to every one wdio had worked on 
the canal." 

Winter was now fast approaching and 
little mure was done on the canal that 
year. Deacon Hooker gives us an 
account of maritime affairs in F'arni- 
ington at the opening of navigation the 
next seastm. ' Friday, June 20th, i8j8. 
Very lino weather. -A multitude nf 
people collected this afternoon to wit 
ness the launching and sailing of tlie 
first canal lioat that has been seen at 
Farmington. Everything was con- 

ducted well. Bell ringing, cannon fir- 
ing, and music from the Phoeni.x Band 
were accompaniments. About two 

hundred gentlemen and ladies, who 
were previously invited and furnished 
with tickets, sailed to and over the 
aqueduct and back again. The boat 
was drawn at first by four, and after- 
wards by three, large gray horses 
handsomely decked, and rode by as 
many black boys dressed in white. 
Crackers and cheese, lemonade, wine, 
etc., were furnished fo the guests, and 
the musicians performed very tinch- 
on the passage. The boat was named 
James Hilllionsc with three cheers 
while passing the aqueduct." I he 
Cauniiil states that "the boat was 
owned by Messrs. Cowles and Dickin- 
son, and was launched at Pitkin's 
Basin, and that other boats were linished 
and Hoated ready for immediate use 
as soon as the water in sufficient depth 
shall have reached New Haven harbor, 
it being now at navigable depth from 
the lu-;id of the feeder on F'arming- 
tou River to Taylor's tavern near 
New Haven." We have the follow- 



ing account of the llrst lelting the 
water into the F'armington F'eeder in 
a letter of Commander Edward Hooker 
of the U. S. Navy. 

"When the can.al was finished, the 
feeilrr dam ne.ir l'nion\ille w.i-. built, 
the feeder prepared, and llu- w.iler was 
let into the canal there on a certain 
(lay — speeches. Hags, rum. sandwiches, 
big day, etc., etc. Father (that is Dea- 
con ll(.oker) and Mr. William Whilm.in 
wenl out there together, ami little Will 
Whitm.m and i went with them. .\ sijrt 
ol gate w.is built to let tile water 
throngli. and it w'as supposed there 
would be such a rush that the open- 
ing was very narrow. When the 
speakers had made themselves hoarse, 
the people yelled and the big gun hail 
brayed. — the Unionville gun, — Sam 
Dick will remember that old iron 
gun, for he and Lute Cowles were in- 
strument.il once in getting it loaded. 



"Sam Dickinson's father was capt.ain 
of the boat. She was named for 
J.ames llillhouse of New Haven, the 
president of the comp.any, and I well 
renuniber many jourueyings on board 
ol her 1(1 and from New Haven, f^ir 
then everybody traveled by ho.at and 
the stages were nowdiere. . . .Of all 
the boats that ever battled with ihe 
raging tide of the old canal, not one 
had so wide ;md famous a reputation 
for passenger comforts and prompt 
mo\emeiUs .is the staunch old Janu-s 
lliillioitsc and her genial captain. Not 
one had so nicely fitted-up cabins ' as 
the gentlemen's cabin aft and the 
ladies' cabin forward as she had, and 
not one capt.iin on the surging seas 
of the canal had such a ringing, con- 
vincing voice, when he shouted 'Bridge ! 
Bridge !' as Captain Dickinson ; and 
above all things else, not one of them 
set so good a table, and yet some of 







one l-'ourlh of Jul\', with a cartridge 
filled with oats instead of powder, and 
so shut ni) its noise all the rest of the 
day. Wlun the gmi brayed, the gate 
was knocked aw.iy .ind the first water 
came into the canal. The opening 
was so sm.ill that at lirst all the water 
soaked into tiie sruid. Axes soon in- 
creased the How, and it began to move 
along, not very fast, and Will Whit- 
man :ind 1 I'.in down iiUo the can.al 
l)ed and ran .ilong jn-.| .ilie.id of the 
water, ( )ur fallurs. no doubl, kepi 
along the bank re.idy to fish us out 
if we got caught by the w.aler; but 
we didn't get eatighl, .-uid we ran (|uile 
a ilistancc keeping jn^l .ahead ol ilie 
vvater. Soon, however, the .axes in- 
creased the o])ening and Will and 1 
h.id lo gel out of the way id' the rush- 
ing tide, the lirsl water in the old 
Farmington canrd. 



IN 'nif. OIJ) cyxwh— .!( ,S';)iui-c limik. 

those old canalers could (or their 
cooks could) make savory dishes out 
of Cape Cod turkey and eloquent beans 
and jincy pork. Long live the mem- 
oi-y of the old Jiiincs Hillhousc and 
her jolly Captain Dickinson." 

The part of the canal through which 
Couunandcr Hooker saw the lirst 
water rmi was known as the feeder. 
It took water from a dam across the 
I'.irnnngton river a little below L'lu'on- 
ville. and delivered it into the main 
canal just above the aqueduct, supply- 
ing the place of unavoida'ble leakage 
from Xorthampton to F'arnnnglon. .\ 
considerable source of water was 
from the numerous brooks wdiich 
emptied into the canal, and, lest the 
supply should, during a protracted 
storm, be in excess, a contrivance called 
the waste-gates was built on the line 
of Poke Brook. Hither, after cverx 
storm, .Mr. Leonard W'inship uught 



136 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




^^ 









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TTTK VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL IJOMES. 



137 




RESIDENCE (W \VM. .1. O'MEMtA. 








UESlUliNI'l". Ul" .lAXII.S t DI.MNS. 




■t' / >■■■ ■-"-"■■i'-'.'t^, 

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■^ ■>- - ; -^^s'-'-^-'rX '■■'*'j«'- r-T^T 






iiKSIDENCE OF DENNIS UYAN. 




Tin; MIC ii\i:i. i.iiM: M,M I. i;i;siiii:\( i: m- .kisi'.I'II M.initMirK. 




■I'm; .iiiii\ i,(i\i; I'l.Ac i: runi'ijcrv fyv 

\VM. lOSI'EH AM> liKSIDKNCK OF 
\V.\I. LEWIS. 



138 



I- ARM I XfrroX, CO.VXECTICUT, 



have hci-ii seen hastening to raise llic 
sates. In cnnsiileratinn fur his serviees 
he was allnwed ti> huilil a tnrninL; >hi)|) 
I'M the north liank ipI' the hmok ailjoinini; 
tile tow-path. ;iiul use the snr|»liis 
water to turn Ins wheels. ( )ii one 
nieniorahle oec'asioii ihe w.ater Minple 
u.is so nnieli in exeess of his needs 
.IS to e.iri-\ olT his hig oversliot wheel 
\\r\] ni.L^h to the ri\er ;inil tliiaiten 
the whole estalilishnient. 1 rememhei' 
seeing thi.- waeel standni.^ tinder an 
a]i|iK- tree where it had lodged all 
one sinnnier. It w.is hna!l\ .got h.iek 
into plaee liefon- the ean.d e.aine to 
an iiiglorions eml 

The year lHjS was now prelt\ nnic h 
si)enl. and ,is yet the prineip.il husiness 
of the ean.il had heen to e.arry exeur- 
sion p.arties short distanees with inuch 
oratory, mtisie, and good ehei-r, .1 ivvv 
advertisement of the gie.n thin.gs 
whieli were to he Mere is .1 spi ei- 

nien eard imMished in the Coinieeti- 
eiit t oiiriiiil returning the th.inks of 
the good people of .Sinishnr\ for mie 
of these pleas.ant oer.asioiis ; 

■■'Ihe undersigned, .a eouuiiillei' in 
heh.alf of nearl>' two hundred ladles 
.iiid gentU-nieii who were gratuit. 'nsl\ 
furnished with passage .and eiilert.iin- 
ineiit on hoard the new .and eleg.ant 
paeket-ho.il II' raln^iic. huilt .and ..wned 
h\ our enterprising eiti/en, John (J. 
I'ettihoue. I''.s(|,. whieh ni.ade ,111 ex- 
eursion from Siinshiir\ to the .niuediict 
aeross the l'',ariiiiiigloii ri\er. at I'arni- 
ii gtou. oil 'I hnrs la\ afternoon the 
j.Vl of ()e|(ih-r. present the thanks nf 
the pirls- til the proprietor for his po- 
liteiies, and lilieralit\ inaiiifesied iiiiou 
the oeeasion. and to Caiit;nii ICnnis 
for his aeeianinod.ilmg and geiitleiiian- 
K' eoinhut. llkewisi- to the eili/ells id' 

Xorlhinglou for the eheerfnl greeting 

anil eordi.al reeeiitmn of liie ho.il and 

p.irl\ in that \ill.rge. This with .Mr. 

dridley's liandsoine ho.il. the .linrn- 

tiiii /;(J,y/i-. of karinington. whieli |iassed 

us on an exeursion ol pleasure north- 

w.ird. heiiig the two lirst hoats whieh 

h.ave navigated this i.,irt of tlu- line, 

afforded .-i seeiie no less interesting 

from from its no\elt\ lli.ni gralfving 

to our eiti/ens, as .111 i\eiil furnishing 

evidenee of the ei mipli-l ion of the 

canal." 

I.el Us now return to the u.irrali\e 

of De.aeon Hooker: ■■.Monikn. N'oveni 

her loth. iSj.S. I his moruing the 

eaiial hoal Jmiirs 1 1 illlKnisr . with I )iek 

inson as C.aplain, Xewell lieutenant. 

(' i|itain I i.iiidrii-li, .an old sc-a ea|it lin 

at the helm, I 'iirtis hulger. ete , ete , and 

several p.asseiigeis, sl.arled for X'cwv 

Ihuen, and is the lirsi hoal from 

l'"armingloii th.il h.is nndert.aken to go 

ihrongh. the ranil lieing now open lor 

navigation, hut the water nut having \et 

risen high enough tn render the 

prticticabilily of the nuderl.iking per- 



feetly eerlain, hut the proprietors ( ui\ 
neighhor Dickinson and Col. dad 
Cowles) are auihitious to have their 
ho.at enjoy the honor of making the 
hrst pass.age. I'leasant hut ratiier 

iiild I'.dward and I rode to the 

.South l.,asin in it. Wetlnesday, \o- 
\'eniher uili ,\ notahle da>- .it l'",arm 
ingtoii .ind to he reniemliered as the 
lirst time of r.anal Imats arriving in 
onr \illage from other towns, .\hout 

1 1 the lanal ho.at luilrrf'i isi\. huilt 

at Ithaea, .\'. V.. .uid loaded with 
si\t\ thousand shingles from Seneca 
Lake, arrived. In ahont half an hour 
afterward the // 'la/Zog/o-. a handsome 
liaeket hoat, arrived from .Sunsliur\ 
with a eompan<- of lailies and gentle- 
nun on t.ieir w a \ to Xew llaven, and 
alter stopping an hour dei>arted on 
their vva\. The I'anniugton band of 
music .accomp.iuied them a few miles 
out It was dr.iwn 1j\ three horses. 

.\honi 4 o'clock, r .M , the elegant 
p.icket hoat. .\ «';e l:ii:^hiiid. arrived 
from Xew llaven with passengers and 
one hmidreil h.irrels of salt on ho.ard. 
Ihe h'.n inington hand. h.aving met 
the ho.at. returned in her lo the \illage 
with annn.iting music. ( )ur village 
lull could not ring, having hroken its 
tongue ringing for joy at the arrival 
of the other boat at noon, Init there 
was some sctittering liring of muskets, 
lietween o .and 10 in the evening the 
sonud of the lingle .and the tiring of 
their swivel denoted the arrival of 
I l.ekinsiiirs ho.at. which demonstrated 
tile pr.ictu .diilitv of navigatmg our 
1 .111 al, espei lally hy her return. al- 
ii oiig.i in going down liier.- was harelv 
eiioitgli vv.iler to Hoat the boat betvvi'eil 
I'.armiuglon and .Si iiithington, 
b'ridav. .Voviaiiher jSiIi. damp and nn- 
1 iimfort.ihle dav Uode to Xortiiing- 
tou til attend all .adji iiirned tovvu meet- 
ing, ,\ numlier of peoidi- went down 
lliillier in ,1 e.an.al boat as far as K, !•', 
ll.awh-v's and then walked about a 
mile to the place of meeting," 

I his W.IS the first instance of our citi- 
zens .attending lnwii meeting liv canal- 
boal. I he meetiuL' h.ad reference to the 
division of the town vvliieh was soon ,ii- 
terwaid h.ippilv 1 oiisuimnaled to the 
lasting peace and lia|ipiiiess of all I'ar 
ties coiiceriual, as must ,ilvvavs be the 
case when diverse liie.il interests clash 
Xor Wile tiiwu ineclings the milv g.ilii- 
crings ,iltiiidi-d In c.in.il hoal, Hefore 
.1 clmrch was ereiied in I'laiii v ille. wor- 
shipers 1 ame thence liv boat to the old 
meet ill" bouse .at the center, be.guiling 
the w.av with ]isalin singing and other 
piiiUs 1 ecre.ltiolls ( )lle ol tlk'se nM- 
tiiue worshippers once told me that the 
sin.all boys were wont lo lisli bir shiners 
from the stern of the boat, their elders 
conniving at Ibis mild form of .goiiig- 
a lishing-ou .Snnd.iv .So ended naviga- 



tion for the yetir i8j8. The constantly 
thickening ice impeded the passage of 
boats and the water was let out to await 
Ihe return of spring and the opening 
of business. 'I he merch.ants began to 
advertise in the newspaper* in big type. 
"Canal Xavigation. Port of b'tirming- 
lon. Just arrived and for sale," etc., 
etc. Mouse and farms were adver- 
tised as highlv desirable, only sucli and 
such distances from the canal. The 
administr.ator on the estate of Seth 
Lewis recouiuunds bis tavern as being 
only liftv rods from the canal, .\ new 
hotel, now a jirinciiKil p.irt of Miss 
Porter's scboolhouse, of tliniensions 
( iimmeusnr.ite with the coming pros- 
peritv, arose .and was loiidlv deemed 
the most magnilicent structure of all 
the region round. A \onng man. writ- 
ing iiome an account of his travels 
through the principal towns of Xew, 
Lngland in |S,?_' cnuld find no higher 
luaiise for the .irchiteclural wonders he 
saw than that thev surpassed even the 
Union Hotel of Karinington. The canal 
bo.it owners also advertised that dur- 
ing the ensuiu.g season .as soon as the 
canal is navigable, the American Jiagic, 
Capt, John Matthews, will leave h'ann- 
iiigton on Mond.av, and the Ih-ll ill 
CUntiiii. Capt. L, O. Gridlev, on Thttrs- 
(kt.,-, of each week, and returning, leave 
Xew Haven on each succee lin.g Thurs- 
day and .Monday, .And now while the 
elegant packet-boats and other craft 
are frozen in the ice, and Ctipt lin Dick- 
inson is Inrning bis attetitiou to house 
building, and the owners of all this line 
properly .are lookin.g anxiously for some 
returns 011 their investment, let Us con- 
sider a little the linanci.il situation of 
the canal companv friuii its published 
statements. I liev tell us tli.al in 1826 
the stock of the I'armington t, .anal Coni- 
liauv was niiited with that of the llauip- 
shire .iiid llain|ideii Company of .Mass- 
.acluisetts In |8_7 the funds from the 
stock subscription were i-xhausted. In 
i8j8 the coui|iaiiv labored uiiiler great 
embarrtissment from the w.iiit of funds, 
•and sulTered from freshets and from 
the work of malicious individu.als. In 
|8_() the ciu.al w.as opened to Wi-stlleld 
.and ihe linanci.il emb irrassiueiit s of the 
coinp.anv weri' relieved bv the suhscri])- 
lioii of oiu' hnndred thousand dollars 
to its stuck bv the cilv of Xew Haven 
I'or the next seven years considerable 
iiiisiness w.is done which had a percep- 
tible etTecl upon llie pros|,eritv of Xew 
I Liven and other |il:u cs mi the line of 
the canal. In lS,is the e.an.al was lin- 
ished to the Coiiiua'ticut River, the tirst 
bo.al passing ihrough on ihe Jlsl of 
.\ugnst of that vear. Ihe company did 
not own the hoats which passed through 
its canal, but allowed .am one to use 
it on paving toll. Such was the custom 
of the earlv railro.ads as well as canals 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTTFUL HOMES. 



139 




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Tim S'ilA KSTI'li; \\Ol)llHI'l''F PLACE. 



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140 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 



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THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



141 



iiiilil trains became niiincrous and the 
confusion of separate manasemcnt in- 
tolerable. The tolls were only suf- 
ficient to pay the ordinary expenses of 
the company, while its heavy debt and 
very extensive damages to the canal in 
1836 made it necessary that some meas- 
ure of relief should be found. The 
plan finally adopted was the formation 
of a new company, the ^cw Haven and 
.Viirthampson Company. .As the plan 
involved the entire relinquishment of 
all tile stock of the Farmington Canal 
Company, it may be proper here to men- 
tion the amount of it. It was as fol- 
lows : 

Shares. 

Mechanics Bank, Xcw (laven. j,ooo 

City of New Haven 1,000 

Citizens of New Haven 1,2.^9 

Citizens of New York City . . . 924 

Citizens of Farmington IJ5 

Citizens of Cheshire 74 

Citizens of Simsbury 46 

Citizens of other towns 16 

5.414 

Farmington also subscribed 76 shares 
in the stock of the Hampshire and 
Hampden Canal Company. The New 
1 laven and Northampton Company was 
organized June 22, 1836. The stock in 
the two old companies was surrendered, 
the creditors sirbscribed their deljts, and 
tliere was a casli subscription of net 
capital, $r20,!84.9_'. .\nd now a rival 
appeared to whom all l^rllinary canals 
have had to give way, more formidable 
than the Connecticut River itself. Oil 
t'ne 3d of December, 1S38, the Hartford 
and New Haven railroad was opened 
fnim \ew Haven to Meriden, the time 
over the eighteen miles being fifty- 
seven mhiutes. The subser|uent history 
of the canal is briefly reported thus : 

1841. This year, for the first time, 
a business communication was opened 
through the canal between New York 
city and the upper part of Massachu- 
setts, Vermont, an<l New Hampshire. 
Many tons of mcrcliandise were trans- 
ported upon the canal for those regions. 
In .\ugust of this year tlic story of the 
canal connects itself with an interest- 
ing episode in the history of the vil- 
lage. The Amist.id captives, just set 
free by the L'niled Sla'.es .Supreme 
Court, were livin.y here until their re- 
turn to .Africa tlic following year. While 
swimming in Pitkin's liasin, Foone, one 
of their number, was drowned, although 
an expert swimmer. He had left a 
wife, parents, and sisters in .\frica. ami 
just before his death exclaimed: "b'oone 
die and see his mother." It was prob- 
ably a case of suicide. .\ decent monu- 
ment in the cemetery near by records 
the incident. 

1842. The canal was operated through- 



out the whole business season of eight 
months, and the business was extended 
by the establislnnent of a line of boats 
to run from Northampton to Krattle- 
boro, Vermont. 

1843. Canal ilam.iged $20,000 by 
Hoods and the whole fall trade lost. 
Repairs finished November 6th. 

1844. The canal was navigable its 
entire length throughout the whole sea- 
son without a single day's interrniitiiu.. 

1845. Navigation interrupted from 
the middle of July to the last of Sep- 
temlier by an unprecedented drou.ght. 
October 7th, ;i breach in the embank- 
ment occurred at Ten-Mile Run, cost- 
ing $7,000, the work of design. 

1846. A large majority of the stock 
held in New York by parties who were 
unwilling to make any further advances. 
Charter obtained for a railroad. 

1848. R.iilroad opened to Plainville, 
January i8lh. Navigation was not sus- 
pended till the railroad was ready to 
take the place of the canal. 

I distinctly remember one of the 
breaks in the canal which interrupted 
business. It occurred a little north of 
the gristmill just as a boat loaded with 
coal was passing. The boat was swept 
down into the river, and the coal scat- 
tered over the river bottom as far north 
as the Whirlpool. Probably some fu- 
ture savant, a hundred years hvnce, will 
find traces of this coal and triumphant- 
ly argue that sometime the b'arminylon 
river was navigable by steamboats 
which dropped the coal overboard. I 
remember also seeing the first train 
of cars come into Plainville. It was 
in Januarv, and my impression is that 
we skated down on the canal, a not 
unusual excursion for the boys on a 
Saturday afternoon. Skating was not 
then the perforin.ance of sundry fancy 
figures on a sciuare rod of ice, but a 
swift race mile after mile to Plainville 
or the .Ariueduct, or even to Avon, and 
he who could outstrip his companions 
with the greatest ease and the most 
graceful motion was the liest skater. 
But we knew that the canal was doomed, 
and that this was probably our last win- 
ter's expedition of any considerable 
length. The farmers the next spring 
dug outlets for the little water that re- 
maineil, and the boys were driven to the 
river for amusement, which, especially 
for the smaller ones, was a poor sub- 
stitute for the old canal. W'nile that 
remained no bov could help learning 
to swim. The w.iter was just so deep 
that anv frightened learner had but to 
stand on ti])toe and his head was at 
once s.ifely ahove water. Evcrvbodv 
learned to row ,1 boat .k soon as be 
was old enouKb to run away and get 
to the canal, and the water w'as full 
of roaches shining in the sim. and 
bullheads and eels down in the deep 



holes ready to fall an easy prey to the 
youthful fisherman. Boats bearing on 
their sterns the names : Gold Hunter, 
Entcrfrisc. I'liraiiau, Saclicm. Amcri- 
ctiii Eiijilc, James Ililllwtisc, DrU'ill 
i hii/oii. and I know not how many 
other names, passed frequently, and the 
boys had but to drop from the nearest 
bridge upon their decks and ride as 
far as they would. H the captain amused 
himself by steering too far from the 
towpath for the boys to jump ashore, 
they had oidy to wait for the next 
bridge which tlie\ climbed into where 
the sides had been previousl> knockeil 
into wide gaps for their acconmiodation. 
Tlie farmers hated the canal. 'I he water 
leaked through the towpath anil turned 
their meadows into swamps. The 
rickety bridges frightened their e.ittle 
and were set so higii thai it was bird 
to draw a good-sized load of hav ov.-r 
one, but it will be hard to fiiul one wdio 
was a lioy in those happy days speak 
evil of the Farmington >:anal. Nor 
was it the small boy only that found re- 
creation on the old canal. Those of an 
older growth did not disdain its quiet 
pleasures. I remember standing one 
line autumn day on the old "Yellow 
Store Basin" wharf and watch .1 pack- 
et-boat sail away northward with a jolly 
c. rew for a week's fishing on Southwick 
ponds. They were farmers who had 
linished haying, merchants tired of daily 
drudgery, and foremost among them all 
and chief organizer of the expedition. 
Professor John Pitkin Nortoii, who 
loved his favorite science nuich. but 
nature more, enthusiastic, laborious, 
healthy minded, an ardent disciple of 
good old Isaak Walton, and ever ready 
in spirit with him to invoke the bless- 
ing of St. Peter's Master "upon all that 
are lovers of virtue, and <lare trust in 
his pro\-idence, and lie cpuet and go a- 
.\ngling." Of all the worthies who 
sailed on that expedition but two sur- 
vive. They have long since laid aside 
their fishing-rods and only occasionally 
are heard to recount the marvelous ex- 
ploits of that week's life on the old 
can a:. 

Such is a brief account of an inter- 
esting episode in the more receiU his- 
tory of this village. Whatever honor 
attaches to the enterprise belongs to 
the Hon. James Hillhouse of New Ha- 
ven. His biographer. Dr. Bacon, tells 
us that he took no part in obtaining t!te 
cliarter, but thereafter, though far ad- 
vanced in life, yielded to the solicita- 
tions of the townsmen who. since he 
led them in repelling the invasion of 
Tryon, had always looked to him as 
the one man able to accomplisii anv pub- 
lic enterprise to wliich they called him. 
He died in 1832 while the canal seemed 
about to justify all the care and labor 
he had lavished upon it: 

■►.An historical address by Mr. Julius 
i/dv, delivered at the animal meeting of 
the niUigc Library Co., September 13, 
1899. 



142 



FARMIXGT(^.\'. CONNECTICUT. 











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Itl.SIDKM h; UK U. .1. MALIINKV. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTH^'UL HO>rES. 



143 




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FAliM iSLILIllM.iS AT •■liDGEWOOU," 



144 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 




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THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



145 



H Zvuc Stor^ of ®lb XTimcs in dFanninaton. 



C!3 



^^ EVENTY-FIVE years ago : no 

^^^ railroads, no telegraphs, — but 
^T^f liearts were brave or cowardly, 
true or false, just as now. It 
was an evening in late Octo- 
ber ; the sun had set clear ; and frost 
was in the chilly air. .\wa\- up on the 
'mount;iiti mail," in the lowbrowed 
wide spreading farniJKjuse, Air. Brow'n- 
low looked around with a sigh of con- 
tent on the ohcery square roimi w'liere 
the famil\ would spend a peaceful 
evening. He rejected that his stock 
was well cared for, that his barns were 
full, that he was able to assist those 
who were poorer than himself: and 
after praising the especially delicious 
supper which his wife and sisters had 
prepared, he threw fresh sticks on the 
I'lre, and settled down for the enjoy- 
ment of the WcclAy Courant, which 
he had brought from the village that 
afternoon. With his reading he 

mingled running remarks: "Good 
apple crop this \ear, they say. We 
picked the last in the home lot to-day. 
They're the best I ever picked. We've 
got a good yield of turnips, too, and 
the turkeys are getting as fat as but- 
ter ; we shall have plenty to eat and 
plenty to sell. Be sure to invite every- 
body to Thanksgiving, mother." 

Again: "Well! t;ie paper says that 
old Mike, the crazy man, has got out, 
:uid that he's running loose round the 
country. You must look out, girls." 
Miss Maria laughed .a little: "I don't 
believe he'd come way U|i here?" 
"\o : I suppose 'twould he rather too 
much trouble. H'm, — 'when last 

seen, wore a plaid c:Lmlet cloak.' " 

The cat purred, the cli>ek ticked, the 
knitting-needles clicked; Mr. Brown- 
low almost nodded. 

A knock resounded froni the "end- 
door." which opened directly- out of 
doors. "That's Stebhins, come to see 
about buying that colt." So up 

jumped Mr. Brownlow, :ind hospitably 
opened wide the door. 

-A vision of a wild, haggard face, a 
plaid cloak, a flashing axe was all, and 
poor Mr. Brownlow lay dead across the 
threshold, his head cloven at one 

stroke ! 

Oh ! the horror of that moment for 
those women ! Speechless and be- 



numbed, they looked for instant death 
for themselves at lirst. But, ap- 
nareiuly, the uKnlman hail turned li:ick 
into the night. 

When their terror could find vent 
in screams, the only support that they 
could bring was Jerusha. the "help;" 
for tile hired m;in had already gone 
for his evening's pleasure. 

So the four women left their dead, 
and tied to the village for aid. in a 
moment, for them, peace and happiness 
were turned into terror and grief. 

I heir agonized flight down the 
shadowy hillside was finished just .is 
the tranquillizing good night of the 
nine o'clock hell was booming; hut it 
enanged to a wild clanging wliicli 
brought fi)rtli a hasty crowd of men 
and boys, with "What's the matter?" 
on every lip. Each one was ea.ger 
to Set out on the search for the luna- 
tic, lest he should do some other deed 
of horror Lanterns and warm coats 
were quickly brought, and in an in- 
credibly siiort time, at least si.xty men 
were ready to start on the quest, and 
in groups of eight or ten, were rush- 
ing ofT; ndien "Hold on!" shouted 
Deacon Deming in stentorian tones. 
"Call those boys back! .\ttenlii)n! 
every one." 

"Now neigliliors," he continued, "we 
shall never accomplish anything in this 
hcltcr skelter way. I move that we 
have one man to direct jnatters to- 
nigiit, and that man'd better be 'Squire 
Morton, in my opinion." 

The satisfaction of all with this 
proposal was expressed b\ a cheer ; 
and after a little modest hesitation on 
'Squire Morton's part, he stepped on the 
church horse-block, and gave out his 
imprnniptu orders. He was ;i m:in 
of spare frame, and simple manner; 
but his clean-cut features and dee])- 
sct eyes gave promise of a Infty, fear- 
less nature; and on his face the lines 
of experience indicated wisdom and 
penetration. lie neither assumed nor 
demanded especial atithoritv, but his 
simple words showed that he was :ic- 
customed to lead. 

".\h friends, .i dreadful lliiny has 
happened to-night. Don't let :iny 
carelessness of ours bring more 



trouble. I see that most of you have 
lirearms. 1 make it a strict order 
that no man shall fire on old Mike, 
even if a good chance oflfers itself. 
Surround him if possible, catch hint by 
all reasonable means; btit bring the 
poor creature into town quietly and 
safely, so that he won't be roused to 
fury, and, above all. don't shoot." 

Then he distributed the men by 
twos and threes in such a way that all 
the districts of the tow^n, which old 
Mike could have reached by that time, 
would be faithfully scoured in a 
systematic maimer. If old Mike 

should be found, a whistle and a 
halloo were to inform those who were 
near at hand, and as soon as possible 
the church bell would give the signal 
ihat the search was over. If he should 
not be found, the difTerent bands of 
men, converging from the outside 
to the center, would meet at sunrise 
on the green to discuss plans for 
future search. .All assented cordially 
to the plan of the campaign; and soon 
the village center seemed deserted, ex- 
cept for the lights of those who were 
hurrying off to accompany the af- 
flicted women of the Brownlow family 
to their desolate home. There was 
nne dissenting voice, however, that of 
J:nnes Williams. He was a son of 
one of the leading men of the town, 
bright and winning, but spoiled by 
lack of early parental training. He 
and Jonathan Hinsdale, who was 
considered the pride of liie village, 
h.id been inseparable friends from 
childhMi.d, and they were often called 
"David and Jonathan." 

James almost idnlized h\- friend, 
who, besides having great powers of 
mind, was endowed with the stability 
and self-control which James lacked. 
Jonathan was soon to marrv the 
pretty sister of James ; and U was a 
matter of rejoicing to the friends and 
neighbors that he was to be a minis- 
ter, then considered the profession of 
most honor in the community. 

"Well!" grumbled James, as the 
two started for West Farms, their 
assigned place of search, "1 don't see 
why I should be hampered by 'Squire 
Morton's orders. I know how to use 



146 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




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THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



147 




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148 



FARMIXGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



a mm uilliMiu liciiit; tiuil up by any 
[■Id .uraniiy n;;iilaticins like- that. I 
ilrspisc pcnplr who nrv afraid of every- 
thing, 1 :ihall use my own iiid.nmeiil 
ahoni liriii;^ " Joiiallian tried to rea- 
son with hini a htlli-. lint it was Use- 
less ihen. and he liad no idea that 
James wouM reall\ eneotmtcr Michael; 
so he turneij to oilier sulijects while 
they were prowlii),i4 ahotlt in the dark- 
ness, 

liours passed on. I'atienlK the 
men. most of them weary at the start 
from a d,i\ of toil, ploilded over hill- 
siiles and me.idous. lhiou^;li swamps 
.and foi'esls. Nolhin.n eouM he found 
of old .Miehael. e.xeept that a lir.meh of 
a young m.aple, freshl> lopped .ill. looked 
as if he nii.!4ht h.ive hceu wieldiirn liis 
terrilile a.\e again. 

,\nd. Ii\ the l.uilern'.s light, tracks 
were seen around an old. lonel>' house 
wlneli m.ide llie eight or ten men wlio 
h.icl met tiler.', sine thai old .Michael 
hail secreted himself in the cell.ir 
They gathereil in the old kitchen for 
consultation If .\lich.ic-l was realK 

in Ihe cellar, he iimsl lie hroiiglil oiil. 
.md the se.irch iiiiisl he ended; liiU who 
wished to creep down ricketi' stairs into 
ihe ;ili\ssnial d;irkiiess of an old-f;isli- 
ioned celhir. to he met hy ;i iii;idni;in 
;'rnu-d with an :i.\c.^ 

'.Squire .Morton looked ;iioinid llie 
little comp;m\. 

■■| will go ,lown to look lor .Mich;iel 
Who'll g.i with me?" 
\'o one \ olnnteered, 
■| .nil going, 1 i.ill no one of you 
to go with me," 

lL\en his authority f:iiled. Kach 
head w.is shaken to show tli:it courage 
w;is kicking, llicn witli lips ;i little 

more ririnl\ sel. and e\ es looking 
slr;iighl foru;ird, 'Sipiire Morion lighled 
,a c.indle, :iiid hriell\' s;iyiiig. "Then I 
will go :iloiie." opened the door ;nnl 
calinl\ stepped down into the d;irkiiess 
;mrl to possible dc;ilh. l'.\er\ f;ice W';iS 
p:de. — the men hardlv hre:ithed. so 
;iciili' w;is the suspense while tlic\' liud- 
clled ;ironiid the iie;id of the cell.ir sl;iirs 
lo listen. 'I'hey heard his careful 
footsteps as every part ni the dim 
ca\erii w:is esplon-d .and then :it kast 
lie cMine li.ack to them, safe ;ind .alone. 
Ml llrat he said was "Michael is not 
there;" .and i.icli man knew th.it il w.is 
certain lh:il no lurking place in that 
cellar shehered .Michael from sight 
Ihil ;iftci that modest pr.iof of iiii 
llinching courage, those men wmild 
ha\e obeyed 'Squire Morton's slightest 



word, 'T never saw such grit as 
that," said Ihll Jiidd in relating the 
incident to a circle of listeners the 
next day, 

I hit the dreaded and yet much 
sought lunatic was not even seen. lie 
eluded them or had lied to some region 
entirely beyond their field of search, 
(dinimers of the d.iwn appeared, and 
Ihe night's work seemed about to end 
in ilis,qi|ioiiitnient. 

Just then. James Williams, sleciiily 
stnmlihng through some underbrush, 
s;iw a fi.gure iiio\ ini; tow:ird him 
Inroiigli a .grove of young trees. 'Ihe 
steps were light .iiid quick, the iiriii 
certainly carried a lieav> weapon, .and 
J;imes thought tli.it he detected in the 
dimness the llutlering fidds of ;i 
cloak. lie Could iiol. alone, c;iptnre 
.Miidniel. for surcl\ il iimst be he; if 
he should wotinil the violent iiriii in 
the ;irin. he woiilil gi\e himself no 
more tirin a |no|ier .advantage. 

So he raised his musket ;ind tired, 
Ihe slmt rang mil omiiioiisl\ ami it 
brought ;i b;ilf-ilo/en men rnniimg to 
ihe scene, I he\ found J.amcs Wil- 

li. mis wihll\ c;illiiig on jMii;itli;in lliiis- 
d;ile lo speak. 

Ihit the de.id speak not, |):i\iil h;id 
si. nil Jon.itlian. 

Ami thus, before tile sun lookeil on 
the e.irth ,ag,iin. ,i seconil family was 
plunged into woe. Three f;imilies, I 

iiii.glit s;i\. fiir while some bore v\ith 
melancholy steps the lifeless form of 
the gifted Jonathan to his home, il re- 
(jniiiil .all the efforts of three or four 
men lo restrain the sclf-reproaclifitl 
r.ivings of the unfortunate James, who 
knew that his return to his lionie 
nuist bring a blight blacker tli;iii de;itli 
III his family. "f)h, wdiy did 1 imt 
obc\' orders? Oh, Jonatli;in 1 1 lo\'ed 
\oii better than inxself, .and I iiave 
killed you! Oh. my sister' Wli.it 
sb.ill I do when 1 sec miu?" 

lie voiced the ihouglits of all; they 
contrasted tJie calm fearlessness of 
.Mr. .Morton with J;iincs's reckless in- 
dependence of control. 

Terhaps you would like to kimw the 
gentle means by wdiieh old .Miciiacl w:is 
;it kisl caught, h'or weeks the whole 
coimtrx side w.is aroused to secure 
him, I'.ills describing him were posted 
;il e\er\ mad, so lli;i| every one ill 
the coiiiiti\ knew Ins ;ip|ie;irance. b\' 
report, lie was someliines traced, but 
w;is not taken, l'.ver\ one fell lh;il 
life w.is in ico]i;iril\ while he w;is at 
large. One sunny allcniiioii in early 



winter, a prior woman in a house miles 
away from the scene of the tragedy 
heard a timid knock at her door. So 
childlike was it. th.it she forgot the cus- 
tomary fear of opening doors to out- 
side knocks, only to hnd herself con- 
fronted by old Michael himself. There 
were the tattered renmants of the 
pkiid ciiiiKt cloak, the wild eyes and 
sunken cheeks. — yes, it w:is surely he. 
llcr \ery frame seemed to collapse; 
but she w;is a woman of nerve. The 
a,Ne w;is not visible, and the man looked 
wc;ik .ind lired. "Will you ple.isc 
give me something lo eat?" was all that 
he said, "Certainl\, certainlx," re- 
plied she, with re;id\' tact, "Sit down 
by the fire to .get warm, while 1 bring 
\ou some li;Lked beans." The wom;m's 
slock of prinisioiis was poor and 
sc;nU\. bill s'ne brought forth the best 
she li.id. and set it kindlv before the 
liimgr\ 111:111, cleftl\ m.ana.ging to re- 
move all kiii\es from sight. Then 
she asked: "Would \oti like some 
milk" 1 will get it in the buttery. 
(_'onie Solomon." to her little boy, 
whose patched clothes ill licc:ime his 
roy:il n.ame. "Come ;md help me get 
il." .So she took the boy to the but- 
tcr.\-. :md once within, she pushed him 
through the little s(|Uare window, 
charging him to rim for his life to the 
ne:ires| neighbors, and to say that 
cra:-:\- Mike w;is in her kitchen, but 
w:is "peaceable" just tiieii. Her pl:in 
worked |ierfectly. 1!> various soft be- 
guilcments, she kept Michael interested 
in bill food :inil drink until some men 
;irrivcd, wlio :i]ipro;iched him :is friends, 
were by him received as such, and so 
easily led away the m:in who had 
caused terror for weeks. 

The ]ioor demented man was taken 
lo the house of Mr. Morton who w;is 
ileput\' sheriff for the counl>- for fort.' 
\e:irs; :iiid there strong men kept their 
vigil :iromi(l his bed :ill night, lest his 
fury should Inirst forth again. Morn- 
ing came without :iii oiubreak and be 
\\:is t:ikcn lo Ikirlforil, where he was 
I lied. :iiiil his iiis:iiiil\ h:iving been 
|iro\cil. lie was assigned to safe-keep- 
ing, 

Xevcr ;ig:iin did he esc:ipc to lcrrif\ 
the dwellers in l'':irinin.gloii ; but ofleii 
w,is the lr:igcd\ of lh:il night rcpc:ilcd 
to awesiruck listeners, and the story has 
been handed down to succeeding .gen- 
erations. 

— b'.i.i.KN .Stkiim. i;,\uri,i:i i , in /■i;;/»i/ii'- 
Imi \l,r^'t-iiir. ,\pril, loo_'. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



149 





PROr'KliTY OK IIIONIiV MAKTIN CdUl.KS- 

RKSIDIJ.VCE OF JOHN IIIIU.KV AND 

FRANK CHIIJSKV. 



"ROUND MILL" /"n.m III,- wrxl. 

r 










m'M' 












^ 



-*^-----j 



"LITTLIC liLi II \l 




PROPERTY OF KKKli MILES — KL.SlIJJi^(JE 

OF CHARLES KISLEV. JR., AND JASPER 

\VrLLL\MS. 




■ rnn nou.si. ri; vhr.." 



150 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



AN HISTORICAL ADDRESS 



DELIVERED AT THE 



©pening of the l^illaoc Xibrarv 

Of Farmington, Conn., September 30, i8go. 



B V JULIUS G A Y 



m 



\: II.W'I', nu-l tliis iMiiiiiL; 1.. 

n|)i,-|l, til lllr use 111 lllr |illli- 

lic, tile lilirary. winch the .yi'ii- 
erosity nf the citizens .iinl 
frieiiijs of this vill;iHi' has iii- 
^litlllell I!, the way iit int ri iihietii Ml. a 
iiiic-t account has hecii tlimmhl ritlin;^ 
111" an iilder lihran- fnniuleil lure a ceii- 
liiry ann. nf the men who iiif4ani/eil it, 
anil lit' tlie liteiar) taste iif their limes. 

I here have lieen other liliraries in ihis 
town also well-iieser\ inf4 ci msiiKralii m. 
il tnne iiermitteil. Seven were in active 
operation in the \ear iSoj, with an at;- 
grcgate 111 1,041 Milunies mi Iheir 
shc'lves costing $i,J4i.oii. Tile niiisl re- 
ci'iil lilirary is too well known to \ on 
all to iieeil any enliig\ or ilescii|il 11 111 
lioni nie 1 1 the IniiNis Lilir.ir\ hail 
iiol attaineil its rem.irk.alile iirosperilw 
there is little reason to siip|iiise we 
slioulil haxe heeii here this e\ eiiing. 

In the year 1705, when the KiMiln- 
tioii,ir\ \\ ,ir hail lieeii a tlnni; of the 
past for twcKe lears. the people of this 
\ illage tonnil time to turn their energies 
to pcicetnl pntsnils. Ilie long ami 
hitter conlenlions in the cliiiri h hail 
jnst given pi. ice to peace ami goml will 
h\ the settlement of the lielo\eil ]ias|or, 
the i\ev. Joseph \\ ashlinrn, in Ma\ of 
that year I he Hon. John Ireailwell 
of tilis town, afterwaril (iii\ Ireailwell. 
U'.is at this time ,1 niemlier of the np 
per house of the St.ile l.egislatnie. ami 
lohii .\li\, l'.s(| . h,iil just liegnn to rep 
resent the ttiwn in the louer house 
twice eacli year as cerlaiiiK as tlu- 
months of .\la\ ami ()ctiiher came 
arunncl. I luse wmtln .iml public-spirit- 
eil men, with siu h assistance as their 
fellow tovaisiiicn were le.nK to oiler 
them, fiuinileil. in that \e,ir, the Inst 
lilirary in this \illage of which we lia\e 
.any extemled reconl. I hev calleil il 
■'Tlu- Library of the hirst Siiciet\ in 
larmington." and this library with snn- 



i|r\ changes in name .mil organi/a- 
tioii li.is sur\i\ei| |o the jiresenl time 

The first lihr.iriau w.as hdij.ih I'orter, 
.1 soldier of the Kcm ilntiou, who served 
three M',irs with the ("onnecticnt tmoiis 
on llie llirlsoii, .mil was for many \e.irs 
,1 ile.icon in the Congregational church. 
'I he members of the lirst committee were 
.Martin I'.ull, John Mix, and lsa,ic 
Cowdi-s. Martin rmll, also a deacon 
of the church, was a man of \ers,itile 
powers and occn]i.atiiins, — ,1 goldsmith 
and maker of siher spoons and ^il^er 
billions, a m.inufaclurer of salt-iietre 
when il was needed in making gunpow- 



der lor the army, a conductor of the 
ihnrcli music with Cov. Treadvvell for 
.assistant, the treasurer of the town 
for eight \cars, and clerk of jirobate 
for lhirt\-nine years, and until the uf- 
lici' passed out of the control of the old 
I'ederal party. lie was one of thu 
.seventy signers of an agreement to 
ni.irch to Boston, in September, 1774, 
to the .assistance of our besieged coun- 
liAmeii. if needed Of all bis numerous 
occupations, perliaps none pleased the 
worthy deacon more than writing long 
.aiiil formal letters to his friends. One 
series of liltceii to a student in col- 



THIS BOp^'BIU^ONGS 

TO THE ^ r"^ 



v'r; i\ 



^^2d?^^i 



.ibrar 



A^- 






Twopence P' Day for ixtainin^ « BooV 

more ihttii one \4ontK 

One Penny tor lnWuig down a I.caf 
TKrfefKillmo-s for lending a Book to « 
I Nonpropnetor . No Member lu retain a 
Book after ti o clock on drawini/ Evetiu\<T« . 



SJ 



T/ii- Yoi/fli irhr> litl I'Hii'ijiliun'j^iiiuUtK^- 
.S-ff/airirfiir-iTrmftlf hhrrhuw r,-,f>-€J^ 
Ilr.hr almir i >i Hoiwrj lioiir .iliuJi jla't 
V rtnrn'il iri-lli Ktifu'ilj^'' rnii'il iil-otc hu 



i 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



ISl 




diipiii:!!i'i^Nlli:i;.ili, 






^'rijKiiKs!*!''??"' 



iii'.siiii'Acio OK .Kiiiv i;i:ii.i.v. 




jra^I 



■WAiTiNc Fiiii Tin; Ti!(irjj;v -r/<i.«'s siu 

Dour. 




OIJ) ( IIAIIt.S— I'liOl'lOKTV Ol'' MISS .11 Ll.\ 
BliAXUEGISE. 





SOMK BKAfTIFrr. I\\lll,\ Mll\\ .i\\x| 



Hi II IT. 



152 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




l\ \\ SWANSTCIN'S STOliK. 




\l;llnl;li WI-NI'l-:, I.lllll^l N'l, WEST. 




Till: liLl) IKKUKRICK ANUKUS PLACE IN l88a 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



153 



lege, full of kindly feeling and pions 
exhortation, has come down to us, hut 
whose appalling solemnity would tend to 
drive the modern college youth into 
any dissipation t\ir relief. 

John Mix, the second niemher of the 
committee, was a graduate of Yale Col- 
lege, and an officer in the Revolution- 
ar\ War. serving first as an ensign 
along the Hudson, and afterwards as 
lieutenant and quartermaster in the 
Highlands until the close of the war. 
'1 hen, when the return of peace dis- 
nli^^ed the officers of tlie armv to their 
homes, and the strong friendships form- 
ed around the camp-tire and on the hat- 
tle-lield led to the founding of the 
society of the Cincinnati, John Mix 
became the secretary of the Connecticut 
branch, until that society was dissolved, 
in 1804, to appease the insane clamors 
of the politicians of that day. He 
then served the town ten years as judge 
of probate, thirty-two as town clerk, 
and twenty-six, as a representative to 
the General .Assembly. Those were the 
good old days wdien the magistrate and 
his duties were looked up to with ven- 
eration, and rotation in office had not 
become a political necessity. This old 
town was then a power in the land. 

Isaac Cowles, the third member of 
the committee, was a farmer, a tavern 
keeper, a colonel in the State Militia, 
and a man of wealth. 

The library company numbered thirty- 
-r\eu members, who contributed 380 
volumes, valued at $644.29, which amount 
was si.x-sevenths of one per cent, of the 
assessed value of all the property in the 
First Society of Farmington. The 
books were in part the remains of a 
former library formed August i, 1785, 
of which no record, except this date 
and the amount of money collected has 
come down to us. The first book on the. 
list was Dean Swift's Tale of a Tub. 
Other works of fiction were his Gulli- 
ver's Travels. The .Adventures of Sir 
Launcelot Greaves, of Smollett, The 
Sentimental Journey of Sterne ; Henry 
Brooks' Fool of Quality: Fielding's 
Tom Jones ; Miss Fanny Burney's 
Evelina and Cecilia; Dr. Moore's Zel- 
uco ; and Goldsmith's Vicar of Wake- 
field. There were translations of Gil 
Bias, and of several French novels. The 
Tales of the Castle and the .Adelaide 
and Theodore of Madame De Genlis, 
and others of a more ephemeral nature. 

Of poetry, they had, of course, the 
Paradise Lost. Pope's version of the 
Iliad, Young's Night Thoughts, and 
Goldsmith's Poems. There were, too, 
-McPherson's Ossian, The Task and 
Ulney, Hymns of Cowper, Thompson's 
Seasons, and the poems of .Akenside. 

This list is not a long one, for the 
Xew England mind did not take kindl.v 
to works of imagination. Being ap- 
pealed to on their patriotic side they 



bought with alacrit\. The conquest of 
Canaan by President Dwight, and the 
Vision of Columbus by Joel Barlow— 
those two epic poems which were 
thought to be so inspired by the Genius 
of .American Liberty as to put to shame 
all the works of effete monarchies and 
empires. To these the\- added the poems 
of (General David llumpiireys. revolu- 
tionary .soldier and diplomatist, and a 
volume of miscellaneous .American poe- 
try, which completed the list, nor did 
ihey see occasion to make any additions 
until twenty years after, 1817, they 
bnught Thomas Moore's Lalla Rookh, 
published that year. 

History fared n little better. Roliert- 
son was represented by his Histories of 
America, Scotland, and India, and his 



Mahomet. Cromwell, Frederick the 
Great, luigene. Xcwton, Doddridge, 
I'.oyle, hVanklin, and Putnam. Of books 
of travel, there were Anson's Voyage 
.Around the World, Cook's Voyages, 
Wraxall's Tour Through Europe. Vol- 
ney's Travels in Egypt and Syria, Nie- 
buhr's Travels in .Arabia, Cox's Travels 
in Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Den- 
nt.irk. .ind N'oung's Travels in I'Vance, 
which latter has been recently reprinted 
and is one of the most notable books 01 
the day. 

.Anyone could make a list of the es- 
say literature on the shelves without 
uuich danger of .going astray. The 
Tatler, The Spectator, and the Citizen 
iif the World, constituted pretty nuich 
t':ie whole of it. 



i-AJoo/' ^tf/o. 



—//fPj^WSl^Q-^^ 










K-Vf SIMir.K. 



Reign of Charles the Fifth. Even Vol- 
taire was admitted, with his Charles 
the Twelfth, and his .Age of Louis the 
Fifteenth. Rollins' .Ancient History ap- 
pears in ten volumes, and Joseplius' 
.\ntiquities of the Jews, in four volumes. 
Hume's History of England, Watson's 
Philip the Second, and Wimlirop's 
Journal were there, — the latter now .-i 
valuable jjrize when found in the edi- 
tion of that day. There were 'nistorics 
in many volumes of almost all the then 
known countries of the world, — luirope. 
Greece, Rome, England. Spain, .America. 
Switzerland, and llindostan, but by 
whom written we can oidy conjecture. 
The volumes have long since disap- 
peared, and the catalogue is silent. 
Of biographies, there were those of 



Of the dramatic literatme there is 
not much to sa.\-. The first copy of 
.Siiakespeare w;uted for twenty years 
for admission to the library. Our fore- 
falher.s did not loxe the theater or its 
literature. 

Theological books were more to their 
t.istes. 1 will not weary you with a 
list of those which formed a large part 
I if their lirst library. The most famous 
were Biuler's .Analogy, Edwards' "On 
the I-'reedom of the Will," "On Justifi- 
cation by I'ailh .Alone," his "Treatise 
Concerning the Religious .Affections." 
and his "History of the Redemption:" 
llopkin's Divinity; Palcy's Evidences 
and his Plorae Paulinae ; Newton on the 
Prophecies ; West on the Resurrection ; 
Strong, on Baptism, and Sherlock's 



154 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




■nil. \\ M ( wiw 1,1,1, I'L.M'i;. 




la i.Ns oi' 'I'm; c.m't. hiii.\i:'i \\ii(ii>i:iff 

I'LArlO. 



1!i:siiii:n('i: ok wii. ii. kostick. 




liKSIDEN'CK OF N'KilOI.AS SIXDCHKX. 




hi:siiii;mi,: nv c c ii\Mii,i,\ 






1. I >ili| M I - ■! \t . ,i ^ I \ N |.),K,>* 



liFSIDKMi: OI' I'I'.TLl: SlMKiUKN'. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



155 




The old vveatlier-liealeii sign repro- 
duced by the accompanying photograph 
was suspended for many years over the 
front door of Tlic Caj^tain Joe Porter 
Tavern which stood at the northeast 
corner of New Britain avenue an<l 
High streets. The house was moved 
to the rear to make room for what is 
now the residence of John R. Whitney, 
.that was built by b'ranklin Woodford. 
The old house caught tire and burned 
to the ground about thirty years ago. 

Captain Porter was born August 2i. 
1766; died June 13, 1826. 




THE M.\XIN Ct'RTIS PL.NCE — ON THE SITE OF THE RESIDENCE OF HERVEY L. 

CRAND.\LL. 




UKSniEVCI-: of ETKUVKV 1,. rlUNDAI.I,. 



156 



FARMIXGTOX. COXXFXTICUT. 



Practical Discourses on rrovidciicc. 
I lierc were also sermons by Blair. 
Xeuton. lulwards. and other divines. 

Such were the ,?So vohnnes with wliieh 
the lirst l]hrar\* was optii^-d lo llie pnli 
lie. I'or a (|uarter of a eentiir\ there- 
after the books added were, with few 
exceptions, of a the.)logical character, 
witii the e.xeeption of "Don (Jnixote" and 
"Sir Charles C.irandison." adile<l in 1700. 
no more novels were bought uiuil Miss 
llannah .Moore's "Cuelebs in Seanli of 
;i Wife" found favor in lSo<). probabl\ 
owing to the religious cliaracter of it^ 
authoress: and so matters conlinue.l 
until the \\'averlc\' Xo\eK knocUed too 
iiard at the doors to be <leined adnli^ 
sion. 

\Vh\ did the intelligent men and wo- 
men of this village restrict lliemsi-lxes 
to such a literary diet? 

Certainly not in a sanctimoniou-. s|)irit. 
or because they thought il [ilea^int; in 
the sight of Heaven, but siin|}l\ and 
whollx because they liked it. .\ot the 
religion^ anil moral onl\, but all classes 
alike discu->sed the subtle ili'-lincli. in-~ of 
their theology with an excitement and 
too often witli a bitterness miknown 
e\en to the moilern ]>i'btuian 1 he> 
held stormx debates on these high 
themes Ik tlie wa>siile, at the country 
store, and over their flip .inil .\\w l*Ji,g- 
l.ind rum at the tax eni. 1 he\ tborough- 
Ix believed their creed — beliexed that 
the slightest deviation from the irirrow 
|iatb ibex h.iil m.irked out for their 
ste|.s xvould lonsign them to the eter- 
nal agomi-s of .1 material hell. .Such 
was their belief ,inil siub the literature 
that pleased them. 

Even the young ladies of the il.ix 1 e id 
the works of Jonathan I'.dxv.inls as the 
recorils shoxv. lint let no om- picture 
them oid\ as I'riseilla singing the llim- 
ilredth rs.ihn at her spinning xvheel. 
or xvaste unnecessary compassion on 
their gloomy puritan surroundings The 
same ladies d.inced wilii tlu- h'rench of 
fleers of the army rif Koiliamhean li\ 
the li.ght ol their camp lires down on 
the dreat I'laiii, with tlie approh.ilion 
.mil .•tttetidance of iheir fathers, ,ind 
ex en. as trailition s,i\s, of the courtK 
ministi-r of the cbiirch 

We kiioxv from old letters, careftlllx' 
treasured, boxv i'armin.gton society spent 
its evenings, .it xvliat hotises tln' young 
l.iilies xvere wont to gather, what tlu-y 
lid. and. xx hat xoung men. xvitli more 
nioiu'x th.in brains, were froxvned upon 
lor stopping on the xvay at too manv of 
the numerous i.iverus then lining our 
street. We kuoxv how (iov. Treail 
well lined the society ladies of his day 
because, as the indictment read. "Thev 
were convened in coinpanv xvith others 
at tile house of Xehimiah Street, in 
said toxvn, and refused to disi)erse until 
after nine o'clock at night." The nine 



o'cloe-k bell meant something in iIkkc 
days. 

()nly a few years Liter, the (ioxernor 
xvriles in a strain wortlix of |olin Kiis- 
kin. "The young ladies are chan,gin,g 
tliiir spinnin.g wheels for forle-|>i;inos 
.iiid forming their luaimers ,at the danc- 
ing school rather than in the school of 
industry. ()f course, the people are lax 
iiig .aside their pl.iin .app.arel. matui- 
lactm'ed in their houses, and clolhing 
tlu'Uiselxes with l''.uro])ean .and Indi.i 
labrics. Lab.n- is groxving into disre- 
pute, anil the time xvhen tile indepeiidriil 
f.irmer and re]iiitable cili/eii could 
whistle at the tail in' his ]ilougli. xvith as 
much serenity as the cobbler over his 
last, is fast drawin.g to a close. The 
present time marks a rexolution of t.isie 



lh.it day. but because our ancestors read 
on the first page of Holy Writ, that the 
evening and tile luorning were the first 
d.iy, and when ibex saxv the last rays 
ol the setting siin disappear behind the 
xvesteni mouiit.iins. the S.ibbath xxilb all 
its restraints was ended. The hoys 
miglit resume. thou,gli soiiiexvhal quiet- 
I . the sports of the week. Tiiose of 
older growth were expected to present 
ir.eniselx'es in all the braverx of their 
Sundax attire xvherever their xoiilhful 
afi'ectious called them; and they, both 
xomig men and maidens, d lublless 
blessed the nexv libr.irx' as a iiio-i suil- 
:ible place of resort for their elders. 
Ililher tliex came from far and near. 
not siniplx for books, but lo exchange 
frieiidlx greetings, to discuss the affairs 



tillact:; .:L,jBiR/\.R.T, 




f^. 



^■. 



' Bft'Jui ill rpftn Ikit'r firvUy »ytt miv rrlt : 



r M SIX! II I 



and of manners of immense import to 
society, but xvhile others glorx in this 
as a .great .adv.incemenl in relinemenl. 
we can not helj) dropping a tear tit the 
close of the golden .age of our ances- 
tors, XX bile xxilb a jieiisixe |ile.isure xve 
relied on the p.ist. and xvith susi.eiise 
.and apjuehensiou anlicipale the future." 

Such xv.is the soci.il life iheii. Much 
he.arlx' enioymeiU of the increasing 
good thin.gs around Ibem, tempered and 
.alxvays oversh.idoxved In their ever 
lireseiil belief in the stern iloctrines of 
Calvin — "lixed t'ate. free-will. fore- 
knowdedge absolute." 

I be meetings for the draxvin.g of books 
xxc're held on the tirsl Sunday of each 
month, not because the cmiueiUly re- 
ligious character of the library became 



of the State .and the Church, the health 
ol their l.iinilies. tlu- labors of their 
f.irnis, ,ind ,ill the details of their ex ery- 
day life. It was a I rue liU'r.irx club 
m.ide up of the most intelligenl and 
xxoillix UK-mbeis of the communitx*. 

Wiien all xvere assembled ;iud had 
.accounted for the books char,ge<l them, 
the nexv hooks or anx old ones desired 
b. two i;ersons. xvere imt up at auc- 
tion, .-ind the right to the next month's 
re.iding xvas struck olT for a fexv pen- 
nies, adilin.g on the .aver.ige $-'..sO to the 
.iimual income of the coinpanv. 

1 )e.icon Porter kept the librarv in 
excellent order, b'.verx volume, though 
origiuallx bound as hooks then xvere. 
in full leather, had a stout cover of 
sheep-skin sexved .around il. I'he read- 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAC'TIFUL HOMES. 



157 







liKSlDIONCK OF 11. C. XEV. 




UKSIDENCE OF KFliON M-VXIOX— Coa( and Wood Yard. 




iii:.sii)i;.M i: ok .Mi.-j.s i:\.\ k. .sif^i ti:i! 



158 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



i) ' .1! 



., .^f-J^i 



hi:sii)I':n;'I'; hk cijiuc^I': i-' hi iii.niii'i' 




L'l.sini \i i 1 .1 i:i h:i i; i i: i;i; win '.i i 



\ I 1 M i\c.i;i ■ 




W. 



mm \ 




'■'< 



i:i: \i: oi' sii M Ti:i: I'l, \c i,. 



i;i siiii:\( i: uv i:(ii;i iri' r. i;i; \\iii;i:':i„ 





\ ('I ii;r riii:M:i; ii\ ■nir: sii \i''i'i;i! ri.An:. 



■Till. III.MI.iii'KS' KISIMLSrl: (i| Knl;i:i:T I ll KIlITi;],!! 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAl'TIFUL HOMES. 



159 



pence for forgetting liis books ,i whole 
month. Solomon Whitman, Esq., read- 
ing the fourth vohniie of Rollin. proba- 
bly with a tallow dip in one hand, sets 
lire to tlie book and comes so near 
briTiging the wars of the Persians an<l 
(irecians to an abrupt termination, that 
he has to pay one dollar. Dr. Todd is 
fined one-half as much for having his 
niinil so occupied with his patients as 
to forget his books for six days. The 
hues for ten years amounted to £i-,y(>. 

On the first day of January. iSoi. the 
first day of the new century, the name 
of the library- was changed from 'I'lit 
Libniry in the First Society in Fiirni- 
f/i.C'"". to Tlir Monthly Library in 
fcirmingtoii. probably to distinguisli it 
from some other library. Deacon Mar- 
tin Buell, still the diairman of the 
committee, engraved for it a new book 
plate in the highest style of his art. 
It contains the by-laws of the compan}-, 
and this motto : 

"The youtli who led by Wisdom's 

guiding hand 
Seeks Virtue's temple, and her laws 

reveres, 
He alone in Honour's dome shall 

stand 
Crowned witli rewards and raised 

above liis peers." 

Wisdom is represented in the central 
picture in tlie form of the god Mer- 
cury leading a very small bo\ up to a 
bookshelf of ponderous folios. The 
boy is dressed in the fashionable court 
costume of the period, and with un- 
covered head contemplates a personifi- 
cation of virtue crowned with masonic 
insignia. By her side stands a nude 
figure of wondrous anatomy, perhaps 
a siren agaiiist whcise allurement the 
youth is being warned. 

The books were kept in the house 
of the librarian, wdiich stood on tlie 
east side of the main street, next north 
of the graveyard, and here sat Deacon 
Porter, the village tailor, in this solemn 
neighborhood, and among these serious 
books read}- to minister to the literary 
taste of the community. In the mean- 
time the beloved jiastor, Josejih Wash- 
burn, died on the voyage from Xorfnlk 
to Charleston, whither he had gone in 
the vain hope of restoring his health, 
and on the 23d day of August, eight 
years afterwards. Deacon Porter mar- 
ried the widow and moved into her 
house opposite', now occupied by Chaun- 
cey Rowe, Esq. He relinquished his 
care of the library, and Capt. Liuher 
Seymour succeeded him for the vear 
1813. At the end of tlie year the 
Monthly Library Company came to an 
end. The furniture was sold and the 
cash on hand to the amount of %?,A■9^ 
was divided among the proprietors. .A 
few weeks later, on the utli day of 



February. 1814. Deacon Porter was re- 
instated in oflice and the books set up 
in the kitchen of iiis new abode, and, as 
was the fashion of the times when .in\ 
dead institution started into new life, 
after the manner of the fabled bird of 
er who turned down a leaf to keep his 
place while reading was fined a penny, 
and a strict record was kept of every 
.grease spot or other blemish, giving 
the volume .uul pa.ge where it occurred, 
so that any new dama.ge could be 
charged up to the offender with unerr- 
ing certainty. Two-pence a di\ was the 
cost of fiirgetling to return books on 
time It made no sort of difference wdio 
the imlucky offender was, be he of 
high degree or otherwise, he had to 
pay. Major Hooker pays liis six-pence. 
Col. Noadiah Hooker his shilling, and 
even Gov. Trcadwell is reminded that 
it has cost him five shillings and six- 
mythology, which is supposed to arise 
from its own ashes, they called the 
new institution the Phoenix Library. 
Nine years afterwards it was incor- 
porated under that name, January 28, 
1S23, by leaving a copy of its articles 
of association with the Secretary of 
State. 

Contemporaneously with this, another 
library called the Village Library, also 
holding its meetings on the first Sun- 
day evening of each month, had existed 
for many years. The leading spirits of 
the compan>- were Capt. Selah Porter 
at the center of the villa"e. Cant 
Pomeroy Strong at the north end, and 
John Hurlburt Cixjke, at WJiite Oak 
Its records date hick to January. 1817. 
but 1 was told some thirty years ago 
l)v Capt. Erastus Scott, then one of 
the most prominent men of the town, 
that he and his fellow schoolmates were 
the real founders. The\' met on a Sat- 
urdav afternoon under the church horse 
sheds, and each contributing ten cents, 
began the purchase of the little volumes 
entitled "The W'orld Displayed." This 
selection seems to indicate a reliance on 
the literary taste of the schoolmaster; 
but when the next purchase was made 
the true boy's instinct asserted itself, 
and Robinson Crusoe was the result. 
These and some subsequent purchases 
were the nucleus, he said, of the Vil- 
lage Library. The accuracy of Capt 
Scott's recollection seems to be sus- 
tained by the list of books bought from 
the Village Library at its dissolution in 
1826. Two of the twenty volumes of 
■■'l"hc World Displayed," the bovs" first 
purchase, are still in existence, bearing 
the book plate of the Village Librarv. 
a work of art probably beyond the skill 
of Deacon Bull. It substitutes for his 
awkward boy a self possessed voung 
lady seated in an arm chair in the most 
approved position taught by the board- 
ing schools of the day. She is absorbed 



in a book taken from the library shelves 
at her side, and through the window. 
of the room has before her the inspir- 
ing visidii of the Temple of F'ame 
crnwiiing the summit of a distant 
mountain. Beneath is the motto: 

"I'eauties in vain their pretty eves 
may roll, 

Charms strike the sense, but merit 
wins the soul." 

Thus earU- did the Village Library 
recognize the \alue (if female cduca- 
t'on. 

In March, l8j6, the Village Library 
was merged with the Phoenix, and Capt. 
Selali Porter, who, since 181 7. and per- 
haps longer, had been its librarian, now 
took the place of Deacon Elijah Por- 
ter, lie held the office until be resigned 
.April 4, 18.^5, and Simeon Marl. Jr., 
was appointed in his stead, and it was 
voted that the liooks be remnved to the 
house of the latter. The .affix id Jr. 
sounds strangely to those wdio remem- 
ber the venerable and beloved instruc- 
tor of our youth better as Deacon llart. 
-a name wdiich brings back to many 
hundreds of men scattered all over the 
world the recollections of the wise 
teacher, tin- kindly director of their 
sports .IS well as studies, the liigh- 
uiinded man trusting the hniiin" of his 
pupils, and uorlin of all hnnor in w- 
ti;rn. Deacuii llart had just linisheil 
his twelfth year as principil of the 
Farmington .Academy, and one month 
.ifter his .ippi liiUiiKnt as librarian "Coni- 
nienced," ,is he wrote, "a Boarding 
Selioiil in my own house May 1. 18,55." 
I his new dep irlure of his so occupied 
his time thai mi llie dill nf .March he 
felt it necessary to resi.gn, and Kufus 
Cowdes was appointed in his place, fill 
ing the office until the company came to 
an end, and was reorganized on the 
i8tli day of February, 18.59, nnder the 
iKiiiie iif the Ivirmington Library Com- 
p.inx . 1 he library was given a room in 
what w,is then the northeast corner of 
the lower lloor of the old .•Academy 
building, and the Rev. William S. Por- 
ter was installed as librarian, which 
ollice he filled until March 1, 1840, wdien 
he was succeeded by Mr. .Abuer Bid- 
well. 

I'nder this admiiiistralioii ilu- lilirar\' 
conies within the limit of my personal 
remlleetion. I he meetings were held 
on the first Sunday evening of the 
month immediately after the monthly 
concert.. I'o this missionary meeting 
came the patrons of the library from llie 
Eastern harms, from White Oak, and 
from most of the districts of the town, 
each with his four books tied up not 
unusually in a red bandann.i h.indker- 
chief. Mere we waited, more or less 
patientl\. the men on the right hand and 
the women on the left, while Deacon 



leo 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 



niM88 Iportcr, HDrs. IDow, anb (lIMss (Xowles. 




MISS COWLICS. 



MISS POHTEli 



.Mi;s, IMIW. 



The accnmpanyiiif; description of the 
piitiirr h\ tile ;irli>t who made it will 
iloiilitli'ss he of intere^t to niaiiw 

1 liaM' been asked to tell h'lw this 
l)ietin'e eaiiir to lir taken, V'er\' well 1 
asked .l/i.v.v /',-/■/, T. .l/r.(. n,:w and Miss 
h'lixy C'le/.-.v to emne t^ the slndw at 
a eertain hour to he photiiLjraiihed. and 
llie\- all viT\- ,L;raiaousK accepted in\ in- 
\ilalion Al lirsl Mis-, (/owles dia'W 
hack Willi hr|- characteristic niodes|\, 
hnl Miss I'oilr]-. patlin;^ the place he- 
side lui wnh her hand said, "ilon't hi' 



foolish Roxy sit right down there." and 
Miss Roxy sat and the whole thing was 
done in h\t' niinntes. 

Manx enlar,L;enU'nts and jtrmts ha\'e 
heen made ■■{ ihi, piclnre. nntil jiroh- 
ahl\ a Ihons.nid jienplr h.i\e a coi\\' id' 
it Miss I'lirlci- was fi.r a lont; time 
ad\iTse tci ii.ixiiiL; her piclin"es In-come 
pnhlie priipertN. hnt her .ya'cat fame ;it 
last m.ide it ont id' ihe ipicslion lo keep 
her likeness fioin the wurld ll wonld 
he like l|-\in,L; lo ^\n'p|■ess ihe likeness 
of ( ir.Mit 111- lancoln. — 1\. 1!. U. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL H0ME3. 



161 





CHARLES CAUIMNCTOX, M.D. 




.IIIIIN 11. NKWTON. .M.I). 



I'RAXRLIX WIIKELKK, A.M., Jl.D., 




BiSOilKC'TON 



'V. / 

,\N 01. I> M.M', rlllll.iSHKlJ AUDl.'T I SOO. 



162 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



IlaiM navL- lis a suminan nf iiiissidii- 
ar\ iiilc-lli,i>i'iice fur tlic iiKiiitli, ami tlu- 
l<i.\- William S. I'lirter elucidaUd lli^ 
\'ii'\vs nf faniil\ Hciwrnnu-nl ami llic 
(li\'iiu' promises Id faithful |iari iils- 
1 hell, ulu'ii Dr. Porter had cx])i)iimic-il 
M>iiU' MiilaliU- portion of the Si-riptiin-s 
and invoked the hU-ssinu of 'ioil npMH 
lis and on all dwa-IU-rs in iKallKii lamU. 
wlu-ii tile choir in tlu- northeast eoriier 
of ihe hall hail eonehiderl our lU'volior-- 
uilh llie Missionary IKiiiii. a lar^c- 
pari of llu- meetiti;^ repairi-d lo llir li- 
lirar\ room lielou. Here were llie 
hooks, a thon^aml or more, some in 
cases, some on henehes. some on a hi:^ 
1 dile. some in rows, some in piles. - 
liilt .all scattereil wilhoul reLj.iiil |o 
I'h.ar.acter or si/e or iiimiheriitu; in a 
confusion lh.it wniiM Ii.im' .istoimded 
Ihe orderl\ soul .,f I le.icon h.lii.ih I 'oi- 
ler rile hooks pnreli.ised iliiriii.n ihe 
lasl month were .iiiiioimeed. .iiid the 
lirst re.idinn of eaeh was di-lermim-d In 
a spirited and ion .it which e\er\ hf lok 
w.as descrihecl .is .i "vcr\ inleres|iii;4 
w.irk" Then .after tmnhlin.i; o\cr the 
hook piles wilii \'.ir\iiit; snei-ess. .and 
Willi Ihe exeilemeiil iinknowii in more 
onlerK collections, of possihK miearlh- 
illy sr.iiie niicNpected treasuri:. each had 
his loiir li(.oks ch.ir.med. and ile|iarter| 
to enjoy the spoiU of his search. 

This eh.ipler in Ihe hislore ■>f Ihe 
lihrary w.as .ihriiplly lermin.ited in i.'^si. 
hv a cii.iii.Lte ill the ownership of ihe 
hnildin.i.; in which ii h.id its lein|iorar\ 
home The i.ld hiiilihiiL; .iiid .idioin- 
iii.U premises were owned joinilv In ihe 
\c,aileiii\ Ihoprielors. the hirst h'.ccle- 
sklslic.ll .Soeiel\. the .\1 iddle .S.dlool 1 )is- 
tricl and the lowii llie upper room 
w.as Used for .all sorts of purposes dhe 
Siiiid,i\ -school Ikh s;,w its w.ills .idonied 
wilh hi,!; pl.acirds which l.ainyhl hiin 
"Uememlier now tin fre.alor in the i|i\s 
of lln Noulh." and lli.al '■The w.ayes of 
sin is death. " hiil his mind was imicli 
niiu-e .apt to dwell on the .yrotesiiue e\ 
hihilious he li.id seen and iie.ird from 
the s.iuie hemdies the e\c-iiiii.L; hehire. - 
the poliiic.d or.itor. the veiitriliKinisl. 
the ikuro minstrel, the mesmerist, the 
imcoiilh inaKie l.intern pictures, and the 
war d.ancc and war-whoop of imita- 
tion red men. The situation hecame 
so iiitoler.ihle that the Kcclesiaslieal .So- 
ciel\. after no lud of skillful di|iloinacy 
and li.ird work on the p.art of Deacon 
Simeon ll.irl. houn'ht out the other 
owners, .and the upper room w.as dedi 
c.iteil to reli;4ious uses ouK. h\ a \ole 
which will iii>l scein strict to lliose who 
reinemher the ahomin.ations of the pa-l 
1 he nioiiev chancers in the iioK tem- 
ple .al Jerusalein were most respi'ctahle 
h> eonlr.asl. h'roin the .\c.ideiiu hiiihl 
iui; the hooks were reino\ ed to the of 
lice of De.aeou Simeon llarl. who w.as 
appoiiiled lihr.irian once more. l'\'hru- 



ary i. 1853. only twelve weeks hefore 
his ile.ilh. Tie was succeeded h\ Aus- 
tin llarl. ICsti,. who h.iil ehar.ne until 
the olhce huildini; w.is sold and moved 
.iw.n, I lu' lihr.iry once more home- 
less, was moved .across the street into 
the stone store which stood hefore the 
,i.;reat lire on the site of the iiriseiil 
parson.age. [•'inally. in 1X55. the town 
;4a\e it .a restin.i.; place for the iicnI 
Ihirtylive years ill the new recinal 
hnildin,;.;. it hein.u .iL;rced in consider.a- 
lioii tluaad'or. "'that any responsihle per- 
son helonying to ilu- town in.n have llie 
right id' dr.awing hooks from the lihr.arv 
upon pa\ing a re.isoiiahle compeiisa- 

lioll " 

Mr, (.'h.iiiiice\ D Cowles, the lown 
cKrk. was lilirarian for the ye.ir iS^s, 
In l''ehiiiar\ of Ihe following \e.ir. Mr.. 
now I )|-,. I.imes R (■mmniiig. llu-ii ihe 
\er\- successful priiiciii.d of ihe Middle 
Dislricl school, was .ippoiiiied lihr.in.in 
Willi his hahilu.il energ\ ,iiid e\,icliiess 
he hroughl order out of confusion, ami 
llie hhr.irx hecame once more .a verv 
useliil .111(1 prosperous iusl itui ion Dur- 
ing llie next ten \e.irs iie.irK' .ill of 
Ihe most \aliiahle hooks of Ihi' lihr.arv 
Wi-rr ac<|inred. ih.inks lo the line lilerarv 
lasie. lln- generous gifts, ,and ihe pr.ac- 
lical good sense of Deacon lulw.ard L. 
llarl 

Such, then, w;is Ihe lihr.arw which foi 
.1 oailinn- li.as heeii no iiiimii .idiunct to 
Ihe ]iulpil and the schoolhoiise, in gi\ing 
lo the cili/eiis of tills \illage whiUner 
cl.imi to intelligence ami npiighlness 
iii.i\ iusll\ heloiig lo lliem And now. 
.after its w.iiiderings from one lein- 
por,ar\' resting pl.aci' to .mother, il li.is 
found an honorahle .and iilling pl.ace 
ol ahode. .Ma>- il with main .idditioiis 
.iiiil with a .generous c.are coulinne for 
another ceiiliir\ to hiess this vill.agc. 



l.iia;,\ki,\Ns. 



h'.i I j Ml riiKTi R. 
1 .r I II I u .Sk\moi u. 

I'l I j \ii roiM IK. 

Sia Ml I'ouri-K. 

.Si MIIIN 1 1 .\kT. 

Krirs Cow i.KS, 
Wir.i.i.\.M S. roitTi;u. 
.Xii.N'KH liiiiwia.i.. 

.Si MF.riN 1 1 .Mil. 
.AnSTIN n.NRT. 

C'li \r.M i.-i D, Cow i.t 

1 \ M IS Iv Ci'M .\l 1 \1.S 

111 lis I i \\ . 

W'll I I AM ly 1 1 Mil, 

1 IIIIM A.s d'ui. \IIW III . 
TlloM As 1., I'olMKl;. 



h'.lccled. 

im.s 

Dec jS. i.Sij 

h'eh ij. 1S14 

Apr. J, nSjIi 

.\pr. 4. 1835 
I S.iO 

h'eh i,S. i8.^g 

J.in, s. 1840 

h'eh 7. 185.; 

Sep. J(i. 185,1 
18.S.S 

h'l-h 1X5(1 

jail. _'. 18(111 

Jan. (.. iSfiX 

J.aii .|. i,%o 

1,111 J. i.SSj 



The present lihr.arv was estahlished 
in a room made for the purpose, in 
the Town ll.all. hinlt in iSijo. There 
wile sever.d hundred of llie 1110,1 
valnahlc hooks helongiug |o ihe I'.iwu 
i.ihrary, also near1\ lifleeii hundred 



hooks from the TnuNis Free Lihr.ar\ , 
and with others donated l)y individuals 
interested there were nearh, tweiity- 
li\e hundred hooks. 

-\hoiii iwo humlred hooks are added 
aiiiiiiall\. more ihan half of these are 
gi\eii. aii'l nearly all the better maga- 
zines .are ill circulation or on the read- 
ing tahle. 

I here are now over 5.000 hooks 
slu'Kcd .iiiil more room needed. 

Ihe hooks reach nearly every house 
in this section, and also nianv of the 
■idjoiiiing districts. There are some 
threi- humlred regular readers and fifty 
or niina- Ir.iiisieiits. 

1 he lihr.irx is open Wednesday and 
Saturdav afternoon and evenin.g. with 
an .aver.age of over seventy-live visitc)rs 
•and one Inindred .and twenty-live hooks 
.and inag.i zincs loaned. 

Miss jiih.a P.ramlegee was appointed 
hhian.iii with Mrs. '['. H. Root as her 
assisi.int. During the \ear Miss Brande- 
gee was .ahroad. .Miss .\nna Rarhour 
served in her position. .After several 
\ears ,<! service .Miss I'raildegee re 
signed .iiid Mis Root was appointed 
lihr.iriau, which place she ha, filled 
e\ er sulci-, 

Ihe accomp.un iiig reports show at 
.1 gl.ince the gre.il ]io]nilarity of the 
lihrar\ .and its \ery prosperous condi- 
lioii, 

IIIK SINTKK.X I'll .\NNr.\l. KKniKT UK TUF. 
\II,I,.\1,K l.inK.VKN'. 1905. 

1 here .are now 4.s;j(i catalogued hooks 
in llie l.ihr.ar\. loh h.iving heeii added 
lliis \ear — 1)5 li\ gift, and 71 lia\e hciai 
purch.iscd. The hooks hought .are care- 
liillv selecled with a view to their per- 
in.ineiil \.ilue. We depend almost 
wholK on gifts for oiir lictioii. .al'hongh 
we iiilend to ]nircliase the hesl of the 
lictioii and iiUAiiiles when ])uhlislied. 

1 he l.ilir.iry has been open to the 
puhlic no da\s, |:iniiar\ _'4lli. owing to 
the inieiise cohl and hli/zard jn-evail- 
iiig. is the oiil\ d.ay in fifteen \e.ars in 
which il was iiol opened. 

1 lua'e have heen 5721 visitors, of 
these -'50 .are re.gular and about fifty 
traiisieiits. an .avera.ije of 64 per day. 
'1 he books re.id are classified as fol- 
lows : Juveniles. 1464 or one-lifth of 
the eiilire number circni.ated; h'iction. 
-'ii-'_' or two lifihs, ,iiid the rcm.ainiiig 
twii lifihs ,ire divided iulo .Miscell.a- 
iieous. _'iii; I'.iogr.aiihy. 305; Travel. 
-'05. .and 1 listor> . 17J. 

Hooks .and m.ig.i/ines h.ive been given 
llie l.ihr.ir\ b\ the following fia mis: 
Mrs, llutler. Mrs. 1), X, llariUA. Mrs. 
Win. Cowles. .Mrs, Wm .Mhii. .Mr. 
Julius (i.i\. .Mr. (ir.iiil. .Miss hde.uior 
Johnson. .Miss Cl.ir.i (iriswold. W. !1. 
Gocher. .Mrs. C. S. Mason. Mrs. Pope. 
Miss Pope. Miss Kedneld. Mr. Russell 
.Siiirgis. .Mrs. ViM'ce. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



163 



REPORT OF TREASURER. 

JVLIUS GAY, Treasurer, in tiicniiiit 

ci'illi the Library Co., Dr.: 
To cash on hand, reporter! 

September 14, 1904 $ 295.73 

To Permanent Fund 2,969.50 

68.00 
5-3-t 



To Membership Fees 

To Fines 

To Dividends from 

ton Savings Bank 1-4.30 

To Gifts from Mrs. D. N. 

Barney 150.00 



%'irnuiin- 



$3,612.87 

JULH.^S GAY, Treasurer, in account 

with the Library Co.. Cr.: 
Bv Permanent Fund in I'arm- 

iiigton Savings Bank $2,969.50 

By Cash paid out for ordinary 

expenses 487.37 

By Cash on hand 156.00 



$3,612.87 



EXPENSES ITEMIZED. 

Books and Magazines 

I5inding Books 

Janitor's Bill 

Librarian's Salary 

Insur.mce 

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OFFICERS. 

Lillian R. Root, Librarian. 

Julius Gay, Scc'y and Treas. 

Committee for three years. 

Alfred .\. Pope. Julia S. Brandegee. 

Coiniiiillee for tivo years. 
Danford N. Barney, Ed. H. Deming. 

Committee for one year. 
.\lKn I). Vorcc, Malvina A. Howe. 




ox THE ILIFF .VI I'tJN-VIS OUCUAIiliS ll w.js .il lliis imii,l ll,.il f,, intent ItuuscnII 
lirstrnih;! In tlir sirii':! belotv, 



164 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



A iHusiriau s Si^mtutiinir^B. 



1 1 >iir iililrr rc.iik-i^ iiui-t lia\r iMiicril 
in tlu'sc cnliniin-, .huc or twici' t-.u'li 
yi-ar. alnm^t fnnii tlu- l>c.yintiin.y nf i>iir 
pa]K-r. ^Iinrt rc|iiirts and iniiyraninu-^, 
\-i.'r\* ilassKMl, I'f ciincert> ,L;i\t-n in a 
^^|^llu: l,ailit-s' Si'liiiol in I'arnnnyldn, 
( cnni, nndir the ilircction of an earnest, 
slerlniy leaelier. wlm all lln^ lime seems 

t'l lla\e :l)een mnre fnnil nt snlul L;(nrl 

work in a enrner, llian vil llie niitiiriel\ 
uiiieli )nnsieal men, \a'll\' his inferiors. 
stn\'e hi aelneve lu" aclverlisiny rather 
than li\ worth. — From Dwi.yht's Jnur- 
II, il ,'l \liisii. March 2X |S;_'. ) 

y^ lll':SE few words from a 
\y musical .inthority t,S so man\ 
^^^ \ears a^o. sliow the estim.ite 

th.it was ]int on .\lr Kl.mser's 
wiirk for the ini-re.isini; 
nmsu-.il knowledge .mil mnsie.il enllnre 
''■-■I'"-' 'II tile h'arminKlon seliool || 
seemed ,is if some wurds from .Mr. 
Kl.illser Innisrlf. lemimseenl of these 
concerts and the f.imons men alio lia\e 
Msited here from lime to time, would 
he (d' ureal interest. Mis own i:irl\' 
lite deser\cs some mention. MU'ied as 
'I "■■■IS I'.oru in St. I'elei-shurH, he 

lived somi- \e.irs hoi h in Leipsic .and 
ILimlioin- Ihouj;]! divoud to music. 

he was .i|i|n-eniued to the 1 k-tr.ide 

and sindied the h.icks of his li,,„ks so 
faithfulK -donhilcss tin- in^idrs .also, 
lli"i'.:;li he do,-, not speak ..f th.it— th.al 
in his lalk xviih I'residenl I'orler pre 
vioUs hi Ills eulerniK the si liool, Ik- « ,, 
.isked at wii.it I'niversity he look Ins 
de.t;ree. so coincrsaiit w.as h,- with 
lli'^"l".Uie.il .iiicl pliilosnpliic.il iinestioiis 
Ihil the tune c.imc when he w.is free 
lo diMile himself to music, .and soon 
.after Ih.il, on his weddiiif; day, he left 
Havre on a sailiuK vessel for .\'ew 

^•ol•k. 

■■|u iS.s.s," .Mr. Kl.auser s.ays, "] came 
lo {•'armiuKlon as teacher of music in 
.Miss Porler's School. She ii.id writ 
leu to (ierm.inv. lluu to lleiirv I iniiii. 
leader of ihe .\'ew \i,\k I 'hilli.ii iiionic. 
to ask that an nisiruclor he recoimiieiid 
ed to her — one who would leach 'nol 
lashioii.ahlc music, hm as il i, l.au.ulit 
in (ieriu.aii\.' I h.id heeii ill .N'cw 
^■ork fue \ears. hnl nl;iill\- came to 
h'.ii inin^lnii. for life in the eoiiiitr\' is 
more natural lliaii cil> life. Trie ve.ar 
.ifler I came, the conci-rts, now so en 
joyed, were si.arlcd .and t;i\eii duriiii.; 
llie lirsi two \c-.irs in ihe \ill.aL;e .as- 
semhlv li.ill :iiid for the pnhlic-. The 




rnoFi'.ssoK \\ \\;\. M,\i si:i{. 



Iirsi inusician to come was Theoilore 
1 lioui.is lie had heeii m\ friend in 
.\ew York, where hi' hail heeii lr\iiii; 
hard to K.iin a innsic.il foothold, .and 
came to see iiow I was getting aloiiy 
111 k'urmiuglon — to look alioiit him lie 
was well s.atisliecl .-nid i.iine .iljoni foii\ 
limes .ifler that, at lirst once a \e.ar, 
then oftcucr." 

I )r Leopold Daiiirosch in his letter 
ahoiil Karl Klauscr, writes of \'ew 
Nork .It this time. It was "•then a 
sort of musical wilderness in which 
many a clever niiisiciaii, lo escape utter 
misery, was ohli^cil to ni.irch in inilil.ir\ 
hands .and heat the cMiihals, or seek his 
hread with hkackcned f.ace aiiioUL: llie 
iic^ro minstrels." I hionL;h siidi .i 
hard school did Theodore Ihom.cs come 
hcfore he ){aine(l the liinh plan- he now 
occii|iies. Mr. Klauscr descrihed some 
of these tri.als of Ihoui.as's .and then 
went on lo tell of his comp.anions. 

"When I iioinas came to l''.arinin.uloii 
he pla\a-d Inst violin in a (|uiutt.'lle. 
This h.ul no leader; was a sort ol re 



piililic. Win .M.isou was the pianist, 
Moseiithal. a pn|iil of .Spohr. |ila\eil 
second xioliii, M.al/ka the \iol.i, .mil 
I'ler^m.-in llie 'cello. I'lernm.in w.as an 
exCL'llent iniisici.iii .iiid was llie prede- 
cessor of I hoin.is in symphoiu con- 
certs hew imisicians are educated 
men; Thomas had no yeiicral educa- 
tion lint Kuhenstcm wiio came ahoui 
1X75 and Dr. \'oii Ihilow ill 1X75 were 
hoih well ednc.ited knlieiistein w.as .1 
ureal l.alker, llneiii mi e\er\ possihle suh- 
jecl Me came here thronyli Iheodore 
riioin.is who kiuw him and e\hiliited 
him, — W.IS in fact hi-ai- l,-,iil,-r. Kuben- 
slein w.as ihe iiiosi i\pensive inusician 
we e\c'r li.ad Me .asked $500 for two 
hours and tliiai came only as .-i jjreat 
l.iMir of his m.inayers ' Tin- lirst tiling 
he asked lor w.is a pl.itform, to keep 
him .iw.ix from tiic jieoplc ; he felt too 
near them in the parlor. 

"V'oii Ihilow w.as a Rreat friend of 
mine. Me c.imc lo see me in.iii\ limes. 
Once, soon .after his wife, now Mine. 
W'.a.uncr. left him — lluu he was very 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



165 



sad — for his fricndsiiip fnr Kicli. Wa^;- 
ner had been great. I remcmljor once 
receiving Von Bnlow's creed — hi.s con- 
fession of failii, in one of liis letters. 
Sebastian Bacli. Lndwig von Hecthoven. 
and Johannes I'.rahnis were his Trinity. 
Then there were always others who 
came, among them, Emma Eames, when 
she was a girl. 

■'Farmington was begimiing to In- 
known in Germany through some ar- 
rangement and editions of musical 
works wliicii I had made. Ur. Von 
Inten, earl\ in the sixties, was coming 
to .America and asked where he would 
jirobably play. He was told in .\'ew 
York, BostoTi. and Farmington. Some 
of Schumann's works which I had 
arranged, I sent Madame Sclnun nui. it 
pleased her very much and in tlie m my 
letters which I had from iier after th.it 
she sent greetings to 'Schumann- 
ville."" 

Much more of nuisic and niusieirms 
Mr. Klauser h.ad to saw showing the 
pleasure he felt in his memories of 
work, both among his scholars and for 
the broadening of musical culture 
through his editions. It does not seem 
complete to close without saying more 
about these editions and 1 tpiote friiin 
the letter written by Dr. Leopold Dam- 



roscli .and translated in the journal 
mentioned at the beginning of this 
article : 

■■A'(7)7 Kl<iiisrr—I..\ Musical Sketch). 
Klauser had early seen ih.it to work 
successfully lor art in .\nieric.i, one 
must proceed not from above down- 
ward, but through thorough pedagogi- 
cal instruction from below upward. 
.\rl as such was little ciierished in the 
land at that time (1855); jingling 
virtuosity and humbug <lid their l)est 
to ruin .1 half cultivated taste en- 
tirely; and amongst teaching musicians 
there were only a few wlio had the 
courage and capacity to go to work to 
purify and reform. He wished above 
all to work upon the tastes and help 
to form what was most needed — a 
iinisic(il f'ulilic. i'o this end he se- 
lected the matter of his teaching with 
the greatest conscientiousness, using 
the classical music of the great Ger- 
man masters as the best basis for the 
musical culture of his pupils. But 
not content with that, he enriched the 
current editions of many compositions 
with a fulness of iustrtrctive additions 
which inlinitel\ increased their value 
for instruction. Many a corrupt te.xt 
in the olil editions was critically recti- 
hed ; countless little errors, handed 



.Moreover, 
carefully marked 
modern |)rineiples, 
.and lUilow. . . 



down like an hereditary disease in ;»!1 
the older editions, were weeded out. 
the lingering was 
according to the 
established by Liszt 
Klauser has also 
made himself serviceable by arrange- 
ments of orchestral and chamber music 
for the piano. . . , 

"To the special services which Klaus- 
er li.is rendered to the school in Farm- 
ington. and we nia\- say to the musical 
culture of .\orth .\meriea in general. 
belong the concerts which he has es- 
t.iblished, occurring three or four times 
yearly in the rooms of the institution, 
for wdiich the audience is composed al- 
most exclusively of the teachers and 
pupils of the school. 

"If one would know what sterling 
concert programs are, programs of the 
purest artistic tendency, of the severest 
choice among the good and the best, he 
has only to study those of the Farm- 
ingtonian soirees and matinees. They 
would be an ornament to any concert 
room in the world, and satisfy the se- 
lected circle of listeners." — Ele..\nor H. 
Johnson, in l-ar»u>ig,ton Maga^rine, Xov. 
iqoo. 








THE KARL KLAUSER PLACE. 



166 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





Death of €apt. Ferrer, the Captain of the Aiitifiitafl, July, 1830. | 

Dim .lusi! Riii/. and Don IVdro Montez, of the Island of Cuba, having pnrcliasod fifty-tlirpe slaves at lla\ ana, net ntly iniporlcd from Africa, put theral 
on hoard the Ainistad, Capt. Ferrer, in order to Irari'^jiorl (hi in to Principe, anolhcr port on the Island of C'lihu. After hcinj; out from Havana about 
four da\s, the African captives on hoard, in order to ol>l:iin llieir freedom, and return to Africa, armed iheniselves «ilh cane Knives, and rose upon the 
Captain an<l crew of the vessel. Capt. Ferrer ami the cook of the vessel were hilled ; two of the crew escaptil ; Ituix and Monle/ were made prisoners. 



Il li:i^ lici-ii Ihi.nylil In, I ill ilic irc.it- 
iiiciil 111 llu- ^iiliini " .i iin.il, III" iir ;is 
more cnnnii.iiiK ilc,ii;ii,ilri| in f.-irm- 
iiii;;iin "M,-iiiir lu-f^n.i--,, in rrpniil llu- 
av.iil.iMr iii.iU-nil ;it liaml, r.illur tiriii 
111 xvntr a now article Str:iii,i;r ;i, il 
ni.iy seem, there is im rcciinl in the 
tiiwn clerk's oliicc ni their snjnnrn in 

the tiiwn. Snlnc nf lllc nlilcst citi/.'lls 

iriiinnhrr tlicin as thc\ went liark aiel 
hirtli thnni.yli the V'ilka.ye streets. I'riini 
then" i|ii.irtcrs mi wh.'K is iiinv the Vnne 
cslate. The sniiiecl t.i.p' lis is a iimst 
inlcrestiiiL' niic, I lianISs .arc ijiic tn Mr 
\llicrt (' I'.atcs, librartan i.it' the ('mi- 
iiccticnt lli~lrirical .SnciolN.i Inv .ilkm 

illL; Its iM IcpriilhuC lllr .r.ire nlil Unnl 

cul, ilepictiiii.; lllc iimrilcr nf the 
" . t iiiisltiff's" capt.ain h\ (*ini|tir .iinl his 
lainipaiiii ins in ihcir \.iiii ciii|ea\iir In 
i-scapc irmii c.ipti\il\ .iiul rrlinn In 
tlicir hniius in Al'iic.a l-,inninL:inn ini\ 
well iiiimt with jiiiilc In ill! histnrical 
f;ict th.it tlic-.c pimr iM.ipci] sLucs w a-rc 
nITcrcil a tcni|iiiiar\ hniin here I he 
Iwn years ih.al thcs siiciil in the \ illauc 
ilcmnnslratcil that lhi\ were n.itinalK 
.an innlTensi\e anil affect innate penple 

li.vlitul.K fniiii ,1 //i.(/i>rv •'/ llii- 
.liiiistail C'al^Hi'cs, hy Juliii II . Huihcr. 
fiihlisliril 1840. 



^ 



I 'R I \l . the nil nf NllLjnst. 

I."<,"||. Ihr pilhllc .lllenllnn u.ls 

iinewhat cxcilcil li\ sc\cr.il 
rcjinrls. st.atinn th.al a \csscl 
nl sii,picinns ami piratical 
ch.aractcr hail liccii seen near the cn.ist 
nf the I'nitcil Stales. Ill the \iiinil\ nf 
New N nrk This vessel w.is rcprcsc-ntcil 
as a "Iniii;. Inw. black schnniicr." ami 
manncil li\ lil.icks. The I'nilcil .St.itcs 
slcaincr k'nltmi. ;iml se\Tr.il re\cinic 
cullers, uaac ilispalciicil .iflci Inc. ami 
iintice w;is ui\en tn llic fnllcctnrs at 
wiriniis sea pnrts 

lllc t'nllnwin;^ yixlnj^^aii .accniinl nf 
lllc ciplnrc 111 this xrsscl. ami nthcr 
p.irticnlars, is taken frnm the "Xcw 
l.nnilnii lia/ettc:" 

"I III- Siis/^i,i,iiis l.ddl.-iiii; Sclh'diirr" 
Ciil'liiit-il iiinl Hi-,iii'.^lit mill litis 
/'mi 

".\liicli cNcitcmcnt h.is been created 
ill .\'ew Nnrk fur the ]i.a,t week, frnin 
the rcpnrt nf se\cr,il I 'tint I'liials havin.i; 
seen .1 clipper bnill sclmnmr nl'f tin- 
I Innk. hill nf ne.urncs. ami in such a 
ciinililiiin as In lead In the siLspicinii 
ihal she was a pirate. .Several riiltcrs 
ami ii.i\al \csscls arc s.aiil tn Ii.im' been 
ilisp.iU'hcil in pursuit nf her, but she 



has biiii iiinsi jirnv iilciili.illy c.iplnrcil 
ill llic Sniiml. b\ ( '.ipt ( ;ciliic\ . nf Ihe 
siiiv .y lie,; llrij; W'.ishini^lnii. \\V- will 
iiii Iniiyer iletain the rcailcr. but snbjnin 
lllc nliicial .accnnnt nf the c.iptitrc \cr\ 
pnlitcl\ furni^iicil tn ns b\ mic nf ihc 

nllR CIS. 

■■(', .V, Hii- II iislilir^l.ni. 
"New l.nmlnii. An;.;. Jli. I.S^i). 
"While this vessel was sniimliiiL; this 
il.i) bclwceii ( i.irilnci's .ami .Mniitaiik 
rniiils, a sclinniici w . I s seen lying in 
slinre nff Clillnilcii i'nint. umler circiini- 
stanccs sii su-,picinns a^ tn .iiithnrixe 
l.ictil. Cniii. (icilncy to stand in in see 
wh.il was her character — sceiii,i; a luiiii- 
bei iii ]icoplc oil tile beach with carts 
.iiiil Imrscs. and a bn.it passinsj to ;iiid 
frn, ;i bnat w.as aniicil .iml ih^p.ilchcil 
wilh an nl'licer tn bn.ird her. ( )n cniii 
inu alniiL; ,ide a nninber nf nc;.;rnes were 
iliscn\c-icd nil her deck .mil twenl\ or 
thirty iiinrc were on the beach — two 
white men came forward .and cl.ainicd 
lllc protcclion of ihe ollicer. Ihe 
schnnller plnved tn be the ' \ini,t.iil.' 
I. .apt. kainniilhies. from I l.iv.iii.ih. bniiml 
III (iii.majah. Port Principe, with ,s4 
lil.icks ;tiid two ]:)assengers on bn.ard; 
till fnriner. fniir niglits ;iflcr liicy were 
nut. rnsc and imirdered the captain and 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



167 




C'IN'(J(TK — RoprniliK'd'im <.f ;iii rti^Tnvint; I'y •lithn S'irtain. 



168 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 



lliri'c of till' c'lTw — tlicy tluii look pns- 

SCssiDll of llu- \'l■s^(■|. witll lllr illlclllioll 

of rclurnlii;^ |o tile- i-oMst of Africn IV'ilro 
Aioiiitv, j);i-vs<-n,L;i'r. ami ji)^r Kui/. 
owiuT of tlu- shut's anil a pari ot tlir 
caryo, wiTC only -.a\i/il |o iia\inilr tlu 
vessel. After hoMiii; alioiit for fiair 
ila\'S ill tile Pialiaiiia Cliaiiiul, ilie \es-.el 
was steereil lor tile islaiiil of St An- 
drews, near New I'rt >\ ideiiee — from 
thellee she Weill lo (Ireell l\e\, where 
llie l>lael<s laiil in a Miplil) of waler 
Afli-r leaving; lliis plaee the \ e^■-el \\a^ 
^leenil li\ I'eilro Moiitez, for .\eu 
rro\ ideiiee. llie lu-f^roes beiil.y uiiiler the 
iinpre^-sion ili.ii she w.is sleeriiie, lor 
the eoast cjf .\friea — they wmilil not. 
liowe\er, allow her to enter the port, 
lull aiiehored e\ er\ nii.;ht ol'f the loast, 
llie sitnalioii of the two whiles was .'ill 
this lime trul\ deplor.ilile. hein,^ treated 
with the Lire.llest se\eril\, .llld I'edro 
.\lontez. uho had eliar;.;e of the ii.[\i- 
.yatioii. was snileriiii; from twi» siwaa'e 
woniids. oiu- on llu.' head and one on 
tile arm. llleir ll\es heill;.^ Ihrealelieil 
every insl.nil lie was ordered lo 

el)anj.ie llu- eom'si.- a,i.;;iiii litr the eoast 
of .\friea. the negroes llKiiisrUas steer- 
ing hy the sun in the ila\liiiie. while .it 
ni.i.;ht he wmilil aller their course so as 
to liriiiL; iheiii haek lo then' oi'ii^in.'il 
place of deslin.'ilion. 1 hey remained 
liiree d.'i> s off ihe coast of Loin.; Isl.nid. 
to the eastw.ird of I'rox ideiici', after 
which tlie\ were two months on the 
ocean, somelimes steering; to the e.isl- 
w.ird. .md wlieiu'\er an occasion would 
perniil. ihe whip's wi.nld aller ihe course 
to t !u' iioriliw.ird .ind wes|\\.'M"d. ,d\\a\s 

111 ilopes iif filhllL; in with soinr \esscl 

ol WAV. or li.'iiij4 eii.'ihled lo mil into 

Some pol't wlu-n lhe\ would he lehe\i.'d 

lotin llleir lioirul snn.ilion ,Se\'er;il 
limes Ihey were hoardeil hv \'esse|s. once 
h\ .'III American schooner Ironi Kin^s- 
loii ; on these occasions ihc whiles were 
ordered lirlov\. while the lu-eioes coni- 
niniiii .'ip'd .iiul Haded willi llie vi-sscN ; 
llie schiioner trom Kmvispin. supplied 
llieiii Willi .1 deinpon o| walei for the 
luoder.ile Sinn ol ..ne diaihliion ihi 

scllonlli r. whose ll.'llUe W.'ls llol asCl'l 

laiiied. Iindiim lli.il tlu iieL^rors h.id 
plenty of nioiiex. rem.inied laslied aloiiy 
side Ihe ' Amisi.id' for lweiil\ four hours, 
llioiij^li llie\ mils; li.a\e lieeu .iw.iic lli,i 
all wa- llol riylil on lio.ird. and proha 
hli siispeeleil lie.' character of the \'es 
sel tins w.'ls 11)1 the iSlh of the pies 
i-llt monlll. the vessel w.'ls steered lo tlu 
iiorlhwai'd .'llld wesUvard, ..'ind on ilu' 
-'iilli iiisi , disi.int from .\ew NOrk Js 
miles, tlu I'lloi I'.oal \o. i, came aloii.t; 
side and ,i;axe llie iicjjroes some .ipples 
-She was als.i h.iileil h, \'.. |. \vlien the 
latter ho.it came iie.ir. llu' lu-i^ioes .iinied 
themselves, and would iioi peiniil her 
lo board llieiu; they were so e.xasperaled 
with the two whites for bringing them 



so nmcli out of llu-ir way. lli.il the\' 
cNpected ever\ moment to he iniinlered 
I hi the J41I1 the\ made Moiitank l.iKht 
and steered for it in hopes .if rimninL; 
llie \e^sel ashon-. but the tuli' drifted 
ihein ii|i the li.i\. :iiid the\ .iiichored 
where the\ were loniid h\ llie l>i"ig 
W .ishuiKlon. oir CnlloiKn I'oiiil I he 
negroes were found ill eoumnmicat ion 
with the shore, where the\ laid in a 
Irish snp|ily of water, .ind were on tlu- 
point of sailing ag.iiii for the coast of 
Alrici I lie> ii.id .1 good ^uppl> of 
inline., some ol which il is likel\ was 
I ikeii by Ihe jieople on the beach ,\fler 
dis.irimng and sendnig them on bo.ird 
Irolll llie he.icli. the le.lder juiupi'd o\er- 
board with ihree Imndred doubloons 
about liiiii. the property of the Captain, 
.'ill of which he succeeded ill loosing 
from his person, .iiul then submitteil 
himself to be c.i|ilnred Tlu' schooner 
was then taken in tow by the brig .ind 
carried into New London." 

"I iic.ultiy IJ o'l-liirk M. 

"We have jusi n'lnrned from .1 \'isit 
lo the W'ashmgion and her jiri/e. wliieli 
• ire riding at anchor ill the bay iie.ir the 
fori (In bo.ird tile former we saw and 
coiuersed with the two Spanish geii- 
llemeii. who were passengers on board 
the scliooiier, as widl as owners of tlu- 
negroes and uiosl of the cargo, ( liu- 
ol llieiii. Jose Km/, is a ver\ geiille- 
m.iiily .llld mielligeiit young 111. m. .ind 
spe.iks b'liglisli l1uentl\ lie w:is tlu 
owner ol most of the sl,'i\es and cargo, 
wlnili lie was coiueying to his est.ite 
on tile Isl.ind of Cuba. Ihe other 
I'edro .Monte/, is about .so \e.'irs of 
.'Ige. .'llld Is the owner of four of the 
sliiM's lie was loinierly a ship mis- 
ter, and has navigated the vessel since 
her sci/iin- In the bl.icks I lot h of them. 
.'is may be n.iliir.ilK siipposeil, are luosi 
iiiifeigiu-dl\ ih.'inkfnl for their delixer- 
eiice. 

"Jose I'edro is the most striking in- 
stance of coni|ilaceiic\ and mi.illo\ed de- 
light we luiM' e\cr wilnessed. ,nid il is 
llol strange, since onlv \<-slerd.i\ his 
sentence was plollollnceil li\ the chief 
ol Ihe bncaniei's. .ind his cleatli smig w.is 
chanleil ]t\ llu- gi uii cn-w. who g.ilheri'd 
with uplifted s.ibres .■irounil his de\oted 
liearl, which, as well .is his ,'iriiis. be.ir 
llie scars of sever. il wounds inllieled ,il 

the lime of llie nilll'der of the ill f,'lted 

c.ipl.iin ,'inil crew lie s;ii sinoking his 
ll.'o.in.i on the ileck. .iiid to judge from 
ihe iii.'ii'l\i' like sen-nil, of his coiin- 
len.ince. his eiiioiinns are such as rarel\ 
stir the heart of 111,111 .\li I'orU-r — 
the prize mister. .-issnrc-d bun of his 
salet\. and he threw Ills amis around 
his 11. -ck. while- guslimg le.us coursing 
down his fiirmwed cheek, be-spoke the 
overllouing iiaii-]iort of his soul 
I'.very now ami I hen Ik- clasped his 
liaiuls, and with uplifted eyes gave 



thanks to the "llol\ Virgin" who h,id 
led him out of his Ironbles. 

".Scuor Km/ has gi\en us two letters 
for Ills .igeiits. Messrs .Slieltoii. llrcith- 
ers X Co, of Loston. :,tu] I'eter .\, liar- 
mom \ Co, of .\ew \ork. It appears 
that the sl;nes, llu- greater |)ortioii of 
whom \\ei-e his. were very much at- 
tached to him. and li.id di-termined after 
reaching the coast of .\frie.'i to allow 
him to seek his home wli.it wa> he could, 
while his piior eoni|i.iiiiou was to be 
sacriliced, 

"I'll board ihe brig, we ,-dso saw Ciii- 
i|Ue, ihe uhisler spirii of this bloody 
tragedy, in irons Me is about live 
feet eight inches in height. _'5 or jfi 
years of .-ige, of erc-ct li,giin-, well built 
and \ er\ actixc-. Me is said to be a 
ui.ilch lor .iny twn men on board the 
schooner. Mis eotinleiianee, for a nati\e 
.African, is uiuisttally iiilelli.geut. evinc- 
ing unci iinnion decisinn .mil coolness 
with a composure char.icteristic of true 
coura.ge, and notiiing to mark hiin as 
a iiKihcioiis man 

"l'.\ |ili\ sioguouiN ,'iiid phrenology lie 
lias considerable ckiiiii lo benevolence 
according to Call and Spurzheim. his 
moral sentiments and intellectnal fac- 
ulties i.redomin.ite considc-rabl)- over 
his .-inim.il ]iropeiisi| ies, IL- is s,-iid 
however, to have killed the C.'i|itain .■ind 
cn-w witll his own band, b-, eutting 
their ihro.-its. Me also has se\ eral times 
atleiupted tile lifi- of Seilor Moiitez. 
and the backs ,if several of the jioor 
negroes .-ire scored with scars of blow's 
inllieled bv his lash to keep them in 
subji-clion, lie CNpecls to be eNeeuted 
but nevertheless manifests a san^; froUl 
worlliv of a stoic under similar cir- 
cumstances. 

"With (.',iptaiii Cediiev, the surgeon 
of the port. :iiid oilu-rs, we visitv-il the 
schooner, which is anclion-d williin 
musket shot of the Washington, and 
there we s.-iw such a sight as we 
never s,-iw bel'ore, ,-ind never wish to see 
a,g.iiii. Ihe boiioin ,-iiid sides of this 
vessel are covered with barnacles and 
se.i-grass, while her ri,g,giiig and sails 
|iresi-nli-d ,111 appearance worthv of the 
■/'/yin,;,' I '11 tell III a 11' after her fabled 
cruise. .She is ,1 l'.,'ihiinore built ves- 
sel, of 111,-itclili-ss model for speed, about 
I JO tolls burthen, ,-iiid about si.\ years 
ohl I 111 her dc-ck were grouped among 
v.-iiious goods .ind arms, the remnant 
of her l-.tliioji crew, some decked ill the 
most tanl.isiii- niinner. ill silks and 
linerv. pillered fioiii the cargo, while 
others, in a siale of iitiditv. emaciated 
to iiiere skeletons, lav coiled upon the 
di-cks llere could be seen a lu-gro. 
with while |i.-it,iloous. .-mil the sable 
sliirt which n.iture gave him. and a 
planter's bio,id brimmed lial uiion his 
head, with ,1 string of gi-wgaws about 
his neck; and another with a linen 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



169 




l!KSIDEN-CE OF F. M. IIAWLEY. 




]!l:SU)K.\CK OF MliS. ESTHEli H. MIX. 




r^ f^r^ 




liESKiK.W'K o.' .lOll.N II 



liESinENTE OF En US F. llOliM.W. 



/:\ /^ 


WPh^^ 


'^^Mr^ 


"^ ^ 1 1 , 







RESIDENCE OF KM II l".\RSO.N"S .\ND 
FUANK llAKItlS. 




"CENTURY COTTAGE"— RESIDENCE OF CH.UfI.ES mi.WDEGEE. 



170 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 




.\ \ -, I : \ \ I , 



\i 1 nl \|; I II ri; I . IIRANllKIIKK. 




ni-.sihiACh: oi'' (:i;(iK(;i, c \i.i.\i:ilKlt. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



171 



cambric shirt, uliose bosom \v;is uorki-d 
by the hand of some dark-cycd daiighli-r 
of Spain, while his nclhcr proportions 
wore enveloped in a sliawl of gauze or 
Canton crape. Aroun<l the windlass 
were gathered three little girls, from 
eight to thirteen years of age, the very 
images of health and gladness. 

"Over the deck were scattered in the 
most wanton and disorderly profnsion, 
raisins, vermicelli, bread, rice, silk and 
cotton goods. Ill the cabin and hold 
were marks of the same wasteful de- 
struction." 



From "The Captives of the Amistad," 
by Simeon E, Baldwin, read May 17. 
1S86. .and printed in ■'P.apers of the 
Xew lla\en Colony Historical Society, 
Vol. IV',. published in Xew Haven in 
188S. we take the following extracts : 

"The most famous case ever tried in 
Connecticut was that of the Ainisttid. 
None ever awakened a wider interest or 
a deeper feeling ... 1 think we 
may fairly deem it one of the first 
guide-posts that pohited the wa\ to the 
yet unopened grave of slavery in the 
United States. In the spring of 18,59, 
a number of Africans living near the 
west co.i.^t were kidnapped by some of 
their own countrymen, acting as Agents 
of Spanish slave traders, and placed 
in a barracoon, at a place called Diiiii- 
hiiiiin. I''rom thence, a Portuguese 
slaver, the I'cnna. took them to Ha- 
\ana. wdiere in a few days they were 
sold in two lots to a couple of Cubans, 
Don Jose Ruiz and Don Pedro Montez. 
Ruiz was the largest purchaser, taking 
4g of them at $450 apiece. 

The chief of these Mendi captives was 
Cinrjue, otherwise called Ciiiquez. Jin- 
ipia or Sinqua; a tall and stalwart Afri- 
can of commanding presence and de- 
termined spirit. .A little schooner of 
about 60 tons was chartered to take 
them with an assorted cargo of mer- 
chandise, to Guanaja. another Cuban 
port, and Ruiz and Montez sailed from 
Havana on June 28, 1839. The vessel's 
papers described the negroes as ladions, 
a term meaning those who had acquired 
a foreign language, but commonly used 
to designate slaves imported before 
1820 ; and to give this more color, Span- 
ish names were assi,gned to each at 
random. This was done by collusion 
between the authorities and the slave 
trailers, who usually paid the Governor 
at Havana hush inoney at the rate of 
$15 a head, for each slave landed at 
the port. 

1 he following is a list of the names 
of the ,\mistad captives, and in some 
cases the meaning of their names: 

I SiNO-ca'.E (.Cinque); 2 Gii..\B.\Rf 
idrah-can ). haze mercy on me: .5 Kim- 
bo (cricket): 4 N.^ZH.-xri.r ( </ waler 
slick); 5 Bl'kn.\.' 6 B.XKTii ( <; cinii or 
s'L^ord; 7 Gn.\kwoi (second born) ; 8 



KwoNG.- 9 Fm.nv.x ( Fn.i ) (sun); 10 
PiK. Bin: II Ptii,.N'w.\Ni (K dnck); 12 
Sessi : 13 .Monu; 14 i\'ij.\mm.\ (/)»/ „» 
or !//>); 15 FULIWULU (/•■»//); 16 H.\-u 
(broke) ; 17 B.\ (/(nrr none) ; 18 Shule 
('^i'aterfall) ; 19 Kale (a bone) ; 20 
B.AGNA (sand or gravel) ; 21 Sa,- 22 
KiNNA (jnan or big man) ; 23 Ncahoni 
( Tt'fl/ci- />/)-</) : _'4 h'AKiNNA ; 25 Faginna 
(Ui'in); 26 Vauoi.- 27 Fabanna (re- 
member); 28 Tsukama ((/ h-arner) ; 
29 Berri (stick) 30 FoNi; 31 Blrna 
(twin); 32 Shi'.via (fallini^ sealer); 33 
Kali (bone) ; 34 Teme (frog) ; 35 
Kacue (country); 36 Marcrlt (black 
snake ). 

The .Africans had been brought over 
on the Tecova in irons, but it was 
thought unnecessary to chain them down 
on this short coasting vo\age. Their 
supply of ]irovi,^io!is and water was 
scant, and two wdio went to the water 
cask were wdiipped for it, C)ne of 
them asked the cook where they were 
being taken, received for answer that 
tlie>- were going to be killed and then 
eaten. 1 iiis ill time mockery w;is t iken 
for earnest, and was the la,st incitement 
needed to rouse the captives to strike 
for liberty. During the second night 
out they rose under the load of Cinque. 
.Several of them had armed themselves 
with knives of the kind used to cut 
the sugar-cane. The captain of the 
schooner was att.icked. killed iiis first 
assailant, and then fell himself by a 
stroke from Cinque's knife. The cook 
paid for his pleasantry with his life, 
also at Cinque's hand. IMontez was 
severely wounded. The cabin hoe. ,a 
mulatto slave of the captain named .\n- 
tonio and Ruiz were securely liouiid. 
Thc rest of the crew esca|)ed in oiu- 
of the boats. It ua, a s'larp .iiid sud- 
den struggle. .Mr. I'.irber inaile il the 
sub'ect of one of his quaint woodcuts 
as a frontispiece to his history of the 
Amistad Caf'tives* 

*A reproduction of this rare print ap- 
pears in this article. 

"The cane knife, of which the negroes 
iii.ide use, is ;i formidable weapon, and 
does its work something after the fash- 
ion of a hatchet or short bill hook. 

In the grasp of a stron.g arm 
like that of Cinque, it is as sure and 
deadly as the guillotine. It was his 
design, if the rising was successful, to 
attempt the voyage back to their na- 
tive country, of which they only knew 
that it was three moons distant, and 
lay toward the east. One of the ne,groes 
could speak a little .Arabic and an- 
other a few words of iMiglish. By 
signs and threats they iii.ade Ruiz ;ind 
Montez take the wheel b\' luriis. .nid 
steer to the eastward. By day they 
kept this direction, but as soon as the 
tell tale sun had set. they would bring 
the vessel gradually about and head 



for the north. Two months of these 
zig-zag courses brought the little 
schooner at last to a shore far from 
that which the .Africans had hoped to 
sec." 

(Their capture is described elsewhere 
in this article in detail.) 

"When Cinque was taken back a 
c.iplive. 10 the deck of the Amistad. 
the oilur negroes gathered about him. 
and he made an address which moved 
them very deeply. .Antonio, the Cabin 
Boy. understood enough of the words 
to give a summary of the speech in 
Spanish to a newspaper editor in Xew 
London, wli.. tr.ansl.ated it in English 
as follows. Published in Xew York 
Sun of .August 31. 1839. 

"'Friends and I'rothers: — We would 
ha\e returned, but the sun was against 
us. 1 would ni>l see you serve the 
white man. So 1 induced you to help 
me kill the Captain. I thought I should 
he killed. 1 expected it. It would have 
been better than living many moons in 
captivity. I shall be h.inged. 1 think, 
every day. But this does not pain me. 
1 could die happy if by dying I could 
save so many of my brothers from the 
bondage of the white man' 

Mis second speech as .Antonio and 
the Xew London editor gave it to tiie 
newspapers, ran thus : 

" '.My brothers, 1 .•uii once more .among 
you. having deceived the enemy of our 
r:ue. by saying tli.it I li.ad doubloons. 
1 came to tell you that you have only 
one chance for death, and none for lib- 
erty. 1 am sure you prefer death as I 
do, ^'ou can by killing the wdiitc men 
iinw on board (and I will help \ 1 m I , 
make the peo]ile here kill \ ou. It is 
better for \ on to die thus, and then you 
will iiol .iiil\ avert liondage yourselves. 
bill iircMiit llu- entailment of unnum- 
bered wrongs on your children. Come. 
Come with me, then !' 

"When the Africans heard' that the 
argunu'iit in the supreme court was 
aliiinl to collie on they determined to 
write lo .Mr. .\daiiis. and Ka-le. a bright 
boy i>f eleven wlio li.id [lickeil up more 
English than the older ones, was se- 
lected as the scribe. The following was 
the result, written with no aid from 
the white men : — 

"•Xew ll.i\en. Jan. 4. 1841. 
"Dear l''riend. Mr. .\dams: — I want to 
write a letter to .\ou because you love 
the .Mendi people, and you talk lo the 
Grand Court. We want to tell you one 
thing, Jose Ruiz say we born in Ha- 
vana, he tell lie. We stay in ll.ivana 
10 days and 10 ni,ghls, we stay no more. 
We all born in .Mendi — we no under- 
stand the Spanish language — Mendi peo- 
ple been in .America 17 moons. We 
talk American language little, but not 
very good. We write every day ; we 
write plenty of letters; we read most all 



172 



I'AKMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 




niosiiii:\( !■: Ill' w .\i ii iii;\ii\<: 



ii 1 :K.ji I :n>^ 




l()KMI.M,~i 1 Sl.l> \s Sll Mill in MISS 

I'OIiTKli- Miw i:i;sihi:N( i: (H ii\i:i:\ 
BAKKIi AMI CliilKCi: l.l.(ir\l,'li 




iiiMin \i I or II \i:Kis r \i;ki;i;. 




ni;sii>i:.M i; ok iiiiNia i. \i.i.M,iii:ii 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



173 



of the time; we read all Matlicw. and 
Mark, and Luke, and John, and plentv 
of little hooks. Wc love hooks very 
niucli. We want you to ask the Court 
what we have done wrong. What for 
.\niericans keep us in prison. Some 
people say Mendi people crazy; Mendi 
people dolt, beeause we no talk Ameri- 
can language; Merica people dolt? 
They tell bad things about Mendi peo- 
]ile, and we no understanil. Some say 
.Mendi people very happy because the\ 
l.iugh and have plenty to eat. Mr. Pen- 
illeton (the jailer) come and Mendi 
people all l'".ik ^'lrr> liecause they t'nink 
.Mendi land and frieiuls we no see now. 
Mr. Pendleton say ^k-ndi people angry. 
White men afraid of Mendi people. 
The Mendi people no look sorry again 
— that why we laugh lUU .Mendi peo- 
ple feel sorry; O, we can't tell how 
sorry. But people say, Mendi people no 
got souls. Why wc feel bad, we no 
got souls ? We want to he free very 
nuich. Dear friend, Mr. .\dams, you 
li.ive children, von have friends, you 
love them, nm feel verv >orry if Mendi 
people come .-mtI carry them all to 
.\fricn. We feel had fur our friends, 
and our friends all feel hid f>.'r us. 
.\merieaiis nii take us in ..hip, we on 
^hore and Americans tell us that slave 
ship catch us. They say we make yon 
free, thev tell lie. If .America people 
give us free we glad, if thev no give 
us free we sorry — we sorr\- for Mendi 
people little, we sorry for .America 
people great deal, l)ec;inse God punish 
liars. We want you to tell Court that 
.Mendi people no want to go back to 
Havana, we no want to be killed. Dear 
friend, we want vou to know how we 
feel, Mendi people lliiiik. lliink. think. 
N'obodv know what he think; teacher 
he know, we tell him some. .Mendi peo- 
ple have got souls. We think, we /r/unc 
God punish us if we tell lie. Wc never 
tell lie, we speak truth. What for Men- 
di people afraid? Because they got 
souls. Cook say he kill, he eat Mendi 
people — we afraid — we kill cook, then 
captain kill one man, with knife, and cut 
Mendi people plenty. We never kill 
captain, he no kill us. If Court ask who 
brought Mendi people to .America ? We 
bring ourselves. Ceci hold rudder. .All 
we want is make us free. 
Vour friend, 

" 'Vr>ur friend, 

•■ 'K-N-Lf:.' " 
(This Idler was pid'Hshril in Ilninnci'- 
f^iitnr fill- Mairli _'5, 1841.) 



The following was written by Miss 
Julia S. Brandcgcc in Aug., iSg8, just 
as it was told to her by IVfr. Elijah 
Lewis, and it seems as though it should 
form a part of this article. We print 
it word for word : 



"Aug., iSgS, 
"MEXDI NEGROES." 
.About the year 1S41 some Negroes 
were stolen from .Africa by Spaniards 
and when well out on the Ocean the 
Negroes were led to mutiny by Cinque 
their Leader they killed the Officers & 
some 20 of the Sailors. They then 
steered the Vessel & made the Harbin- 
of New London, sonic say. New Haven 
l''roni lluiue through the .Agency if 
.\. l-'. Williams Mrs. Vorce's Father S: 
.Mr. John Xorlon. who built the 
house of 1), X. r,arne\. they were 
brought to h'armington for safe keep- 
ing |)nt miller llonds for Mutiny Mr 
Williams built for their use & com- 
fort one or more small Buildings on 
his own grounds. They went to School 
over Ldw. Deming's Store they were 
here about a year when it was thought 
best to relnrn them to their Native 
L:ind When they were ready to sail 
Cinque .addressed them in their native 
Ton,gue. .\ Missionary Society was 
formed & they were taken back to 
Alemli in Africa. West Coast near 
Liberia While in I'^irminglon they 
showed themselves kind X f.iilhfnl to 
those who employed them. Cinque, 
(irabbo, I'hillie, Fuli. Taniie hoone. 
are names remembered by those who 
knew them. In the Farmington Ceme- 
tery .across the Path from the Soldiers 
Monmnent 011 the .'sout:; side of the 
ground is a simple .Marble, Stone bear- 
ing the following I nscriiition : 




"A native .African who was drowned 
while bathing in the Center Basin .Aug 
1841 He was one of tin- Company of 
Slaves under Cini|ue on board the 
Schooner .Amisted who asserted their 
rights and took possession of the Ves- 
sel after having jiiU the Capt.ain, Mate, 
and others to rle.itii. sparing their Mas- 
ters Rnez, and Motitez." 

The Center, or I'itkin li.isin was 
where Miss Porter's Laundrv now 



st.ands .\i 



i8'>S. .Mi 



i<owe is sun- 
that I'oone conimilled suicide as the 
d.ay before he was drowned Mr. K. 
heard him say "Foonc going to see his 
Mother" he was very homesick. 



A T W.AS a most singular 

^*«y episode in the quiet life of 

^^T Farmington which brought to 

us the band of Mendians in 

which were iuclude<l three 

Mendian girls. 

One of these, by name Tamie. was 
.sent directly to and remained with me 
uniil ilieir departure for their native 
land, and she proved a most interesting 
jiersonality. About fourteen years of 
age, she w,as t;dl, straight as an ar- 
row, and lithe as .a willow, with a soft 
low voice and a sweet smile which so 
far as I remember, never developed into 
a laugh. Her nature was rather seri- 
ous and yet she was uniformly cheer- 
ful. 

She liked to talk of their simple life 
in the village from which she was so 
rudely taken. Their houses must have 
'lecii beehive looking siruetures. 
wrough from grasses an 1 twig; and 
placed near together, 1 think for 
safety; and it would seem that real 
work never occurred to them, bat 
games, and in m iturer years athletics en- 
gaged them. 

It was remarkable how easily Tamie 
learned to speak our langua.ge and she 
could read quite well. The lirst 
verses of the cha])ter commencing : 
"Let not your heart be troubled," 
with the "Lord's Prayer," the "Sermon 
on the Alount," the Psalm, "The Lord 
is my Shepherd," were favorites. 

She cared little for play here, the 
conditions were so dififerent from those 
at home, but she was fond of llowers 
and particularly enjoyed ,1 little garden 
which she tended carefully. I remem- 
ber her joy when I had been i.rep.ir- 
ing pineapples, she asked for tiie green 
crowns to plant and w.as so. delighted 
when they began to grow. Her per- 
cei)tions were keen and her <|uestions 
innumerable. In going to and from 
her school daily, she passed the home 
of a friend of mine who almost every 
il.iy met her at the gate and had a lit- 
tle talk with her and at parting would 
send her love to me. This Taniie said 
with a smile, she only gave now and 
then, adding. "It is no good every day." 

They as a band, enjoyed the hospital- 
ity extended them, ami several of the 
men came repeatedly to my home, being 
mainly attracted by a hVench mantel 
clock, and it was interesting to watch 
them as they discussed it. their iihys- 
ical aspect revealed so much althongh 
I could not understand a word. 

One night after all had retired lo 
their rooms. Tamie conic lo my door. 
and when 1 opened it. she stood tliere 
the picture of despair; taking niv hand 
she led me to a north window in her 
room when she exclaimed, "I think we 
never see Mendi any more." The 
banners of an extremely brilliant 
.Itinn-a Boiralis were flashing in the 



174 



FXRMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



sky and slii' was sure they would 'i; 
destroyed, liut was reassured when I 
told her that at certain seasons we oft jn 
had ihiisr lij^hts. 

I I'eh ^nrr> III part with Taiuie. fur 
slie was vrr\ interi-sliiii; and 1 vvnnder 
^hall we niei-t at;aiii, — J, .M. Hkiiwn. 



(UtuqitPB, 
O^lir Hark frturr. 



^I\r\' years ago a Iiand of 

^•"V \ friean savages led hy llieir 

^7 ^m warriiir ehieflain> and in de- 

liiinLe (vf oppositinii on the 
part of inan\ ti i\\t]-.]iei ipli.'. ni- 
vaded mn- [leacefnl \illage and in a way 
took possession of tlie place. lo \ery 
many of the presiiu gener.ilinii the fore- 
.going slattnent ni.n seem .altogether in- 
credihle. hut it is nothing more th.ni 
historv slightlv "euihroidered" fur 
ilr.anialie effect. 

In 1X41 the ca-.e of the 'Wmislad 
Caplixes" wa^- nf iiilernitii uial impnrl- 
ance, and ne\er h.i^ iMrmingti m hren ^1 > 
truly the ci-nler of |inlilic attenlion, as 
when these distingnished toreigner-- 
weri' among lier smnnier visitors. 

Their story is i|nile .i> rom.anlic .is 
those that .ire ■.cr\eil up in the mi idem 
novel, and I am prrniilled hriellv' tn re- 
eonul it lure for I e.in clearl.. reniemher. 
as ele.irly that is as aehilil uia\ who wa-. 
harel> three year-- old .at the lime- 
In nv lhi^ s.aine I'diek Trinee u^ed In Ins^ 
me np and seal me n|ioii his h|-(iad 
Nhouhler while he eseculed ;i harliaric 
dame on ihe l.iwn for in\- eiilerlain- 
nieiil, I here are llm^e. however. h\- 
iug in hannington. whose pergonal ree- 
olleeliniis of Cinque/'" .iiid his foilowing 
.are clearer than inine. .0 I h.i^Ieii In 
eile the s|or\ fnnu .inlln irilies. 

In the \ear iX.Vj saiding in.aster^ on 
the high seas were slill on ihc Innknnl 
for sus|)ieions cr.afl. .ind deemed il prii- 
denl III gi\e a wide lui lli lo "long. low. 
hl.aek >ehooneis with raking inasls." he 
loved in liie slorv Imnk^ of venlureMiine 
ho\s and very jusll\ ihe terror ol honesl 
inerehanlmeu. When, therefore, siii h .1 
schooner was ^ighlel on an .\ngnst 
mnrning of the \ear in ipie^li.in. lin\- 
iiii' ah, ml off .Monl.auk I'liinl. .ill well 
disposed coasters and li^her lolk lied 
to the nearest i)orls for safely, and the 
governnienl was nolilie 1 h> m.iil. ihe 
telephone hring mil nf nrder. lli.il a 
sure enough pir.ile w.as r.i\agiiig ihe 
e.a.stern end of 1 .ong NIand. 

Steam was unknown lo the revenue 
service of thai period, .and several (la\ - 
passed hell ire ihe swift sailing culler 
"W'ashinglim." l.ieulenaiU (iedne\. 

overhauled I he supposed marauder .ind 
with her erew al c|U.irlers sent ,an .armed 



ho.al to t.ake pos.,ession. During these 
few d,i\s hefori' Ihe revenue culler put 
in an appearance, the supposed pir.ate 
h.ad sent very formidahle looking and 
ne.irly naked hl.aek men .ashore lo pur- 
chase supplies hir \\hich llie\ paid in 

.Spanish doiihl is. .mtX certain ventnre- 

siime s.iilor men with conridence in the 
speed of iheir hoats had dr.iwn near 
enough In the suspected schooner In 
see that site was manned entirely In 
hlacks. ,and apparently only vv.anted lobe 
let .alone. Her name was found to he 
the ".Xmistad." 

Xo serious resistance was offered to 
the re\eiiue men. hut nue splendid spcei- 
!ni-n nf an .\fric.in plunged nverhnard. 
struck oul for the open si-a. and w.is niiK 
rescneil from death h\ drowning ihrongh 
the ell oris of all entire Imat's crew-, whn 
l.assoned him and hauled him .ilmard 
after he w.is ipiiiv e\h.iuslrd hv his 
cNcrtiniis, This was C'inijUc/. the I'.laek 
rrinee. and he aflerw.inl .idnnlted that 
il was Ills inleiiliou never In he t.iken 
.ili\\- 

llelnw decks were fnund Iwo while 
men. .Sp.ini.ards. .MonUv .and Rnis by 
ii.ime, .111(1 .\iiloiiio. .1 eahiii Imw .Ml 
ii.inds were taken to .\'ew Lnudnii ,ind 
held fnr .government .iclinii, riun it 
came nut thai the ".Nmisiad" was ,1 
sla\er. and that the lliirly- fniir hiack men 
.and three wnuien found on ho.ird were 
the sur\i\ors of a "cargo" run nff fmin 
ihe west coast after the usu.il nielhnik 
of traders I lie\ musi lia\e heen 

treated with snmewhal nmre hiimaiiiu 
lli.iii iisn.il for less Ih.iii a score nf 
Ihem died anil were thrown nverhiird 
during the pas.sage to Ciih.i. where Mon- 
te/ and Ruis houghl ihe whnle nullil .and 
sailed .11 niice fnr their pl.int.itinns at 
riierin rrinci|ie. 

Ihil they li.id n'cknned williniil con- 
sulting the I'll.u'k rrinee I lis miisl in- 



deed have been ,1 high order of native 
inlelligeuce. for .alliiongh born, so to 
sa>. in an .-\frican jungle .and having 
lived his thirty ye.ars or s,, in liII es- . 
sentials as a barbarian, he w'as observ- 
ant enough during the voyage to notice 
ih.at the sun always rose astern and 
sel ahead. Therefore, said this Prince 
In himsvlf. .IS he lay chained and gasp- 
ing for air hel ween decks, "when I s.ail 
low.irds iioiiic I will steer Inward the 
rising sun." 

The capture of the schooner before 
she reached her destination was more 
in ihe line of Cinquez"s experience. None 
nf the crew were ever heard from 
ag.iiii. hut Ruis .and Montez h.ad merelv 
hniighl the black men as chattels in open 
m.irkel sn ilu-sr twn were s.aved alive 
with Ine c.ihin bny afnresaid, who was 
neither old enough nor big enough to 
li.ixe made enemies among the ue.groes. 
t'iiii|ue/ noiifu-d Ins prisoners in un- 
mistakable terms that the ship's course 
W.IS i-ast. hut iialiir.ill\ eiiniigh while 
the unli'tlered \ fric.in ennld l.i\ a cniirse 
h.\ the sun the iuyster\' of the mariner's 
cnmp.iss, with its strange hierngl\ |ihics. 
w.as Inn nmcli for him. so tin- white 
nun m.inaged In keep her headed In 
the unrth .and west between suustianil 
sunrise, .iiid e\enlually she brought up 
■ IS has been related, off Afontauk I'nint. 
.and straighlw.ay the slavery .and .iiili- 
shavery f.actinns were set b\ the ears 

Ihe sl.a\e Imlders and their unrlhern 
s\ in|i.alhi/ers suppnrled the claim nf the 
.Sp.inish minister thai ihe .Xfriciu. were 
liwlul prnperli. wdiile the .aiili-sla\'er\' 
l.iclinii hrld lli.al since ihe trade in hu- 
111.111 creilurcs w.is ille.gitim.ite alike nil 
der Spanish and .\merican' law , the caji- 



*.\lso spelled "Cini|Ue." Il was po|)U- 
kirb- pronounced ".Siuipie" in \'ew I'hi.g 
1 Old. 1 he .Siianisli lermin.al / is here 
aclopied as most likidy lo be corn-cl. 




HI llvlUMi ISKIi \S "1,11 AKTi;i;b 11\ till. Ml. -Mil -M.oUul.S.' 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



175 



lives were well uitliin tlicir riijlits when 
they demonstrated their title to "life, 
liberty and the pursuit of happiness" on 
the high seas. This last mentioned view 
of the case was taken by the lower 
court sustained by the district judges, 
and thence carried up to llic L^nited 
Slates Supreme Court, where it was 
.irgueil 1)y the venerable John Quincv 
.\danis of lioston and the Hon. Simeon 




nil: HON. S-VJirnL dkmini.;— .\ st.\un(ii 

.VHOHTIONIST. 



E. Baldwin of New Haven. Mr. .Adams 
devoutly wrote in his diary on the day 
when he decided to act as counsel in 
the case: "I implore the mercy of .Al- 
mighty God to so control my temper, tn 
enlighten my soul, and to give me utter- 
ance, that I may prove myself in ever\' 
ua> equal In the task." W'lietlier in 
answer to this petition or not, his speech 
occupied more than two days, and on 
March gth, 1841, Justice Story delivered 
ihe opinion of the Court, affirming at 
last the freedom of the captives. 

During all the weary months since 
their capture the .Africans had been kepi 
in confinement at Xevv Haven, where 
they were provided with more creature 
comforts than they had ever known be- 
fore. Mr. Lewis Tappan, of New York, 
a noted philanthro])ist. and nne nf the 
founders of the .American .Mis.-iiinary 
Association, was a leader in .all steps 
taken for their benefit. He was well 
known to many of the older generation 
in l-'armington, and if I mistake not. 
often visited the town. During this st.ay 
in New Haven some of the students in 
the Vale Divinity School devoted much 
time to the instruction of the captives 
in tile primary branches of an F.nglisb 
education, sn ihal when the edict of 
emancipation went forth, the brightest 
among them were able to read and write 
:i bit, and all had been lifted a little 
toward the light of civilized Christi.an- 
ily. 

When it was decided to (|uarter them 
in l'"armington, pending arrangements 
fur their return to .Africa, there was 
consternation among the timid souls in 
the quiet village. Stories of heredi- 
tary cannabalism were plentifully circu- 
lated, and there were not wanting for- 
mal protests against forcing such a bur- 



den upon the cr)mnuinit.\-. lUit .Mr. Tap- 
pan ,ind his friends ijrev.ailed :il last, 
and with but little delay the whole 
b.iiid of thirty-seven embarked on a 
canal boat,* and, singing the Christian 
hymns that they had learned, voyaged 
up the placid water way that then led 
from New Haven to Northampton. 

Barracks had been erected on land at 
the rear of the old Wadsworlh House, 
now occupied by Mr. Dunning, and ad- 
joining the cemetery, and here the late 
captives speedily made themselves ,at 
home. These barracks were still stand- 
ing when I last visited the place, though 
1 am under the impression that they 
have been moved somewhat from their 
original position. 

Cinquez was a born ruler, and, ably 
seconded by bis lieutenant Grabbo, he 
maintained :[ very creditable degree of 
discipline .muMig his half savage fol- 
lowers. 1 hey were for the most part 
free to roam about e.Ncept for regular 
school hours, and the townsfolk soon 
ceased to fear them. .Anxious mammas 
at the first trembled and kept their 
tempting morsels of chililren behind 
bolted doors, but before lung the be- 
lief in tales of canniablism died out, and 
it was no uncommon sight in those 
d.iys to sec the big grown-up black chil- 
dren' playing with little white tots in 
\illage door yards. 

The .African visitors, or some of them 
at least, were often welcomed by my 
father, the late John T. Norton, at his 
home, now the properU" of Mr. New- 
ton Barney, and .is I have already said 
I retain dim, childish memories of the 
str:in"e kindU black men. .A broad 



llight of steps then led down from the 
southern piazza of my father's house, 
and I distinctly remember seeing the 
athletic Cinquez turn a somersauh from 
these steps and then go on down the 
sloping lawn in a succession of hand 
springs heels over head, to the wonder- 
ment and admiration of my big broth- 
ers and myself. .Again I recall a visit 
ti) tile b.arraeks, where I beheld the 
whole black company clad, as it seems 
to me, in dark brown or gray jeans. In 
m\ childish eyes they seemed a mighty 
host, and as such they will always re- 
main in my memory, for probably I 
had never before seen so manv men 
together at any one time. 

I was a favorite, too. with (irabbo, 
the second in command, who was al- 
lowed sometimes to take me out for 
excursions in the neighborhood. I can 
even remember that my mother was very 
anxious at lirst about these expeditions, 
but eventually acquired entire confidence 
in these l)ig sable pla\niates of her little 
boy. 

The ex-captives were expert swim- 
mer.--, and very fond of bathing in the 
canal basins or in the mill pond until, 
unfortunately, poor (irabbo,* on a cer- 
tain day, was taken with a cramp, and 
drowned, in spite of the efforts of his 
cninp:iniiins to rescue him. .A mcssen- 
,ger came at once for my fat'ner. We 
were sitting on the piazza in the cool 
of the evening; it was early dusk when 
we s.iw ;i dark figure striding up the 
|i,illi; I'lking no notice of the rest of 
us, he went straight to my father, and 
said in broken accents, "We — want — 
you — Grabbo he daid." and with that he 










'>:;-4^ 









„ /■ iia- i-o-c 



3* 



I 



CI 






.^^1:2^'^ 



•KiTC'iiKN in:T-\ii,"— .\T Tin: 



■.Mi:.\l)r' (^U.MiTI'.HS fOI! A I'AliT Ol-" OCTOBKII, ISll. 
(Vixv Simile) 



176 



FAR^[INGTO^^ CONNECTICUT, 






.^: 



^,^W 



FH?^ 



^if^- 






•j^ 






, N^ 



J)! 



' ■^»i-k<jH tit- rift: riiF-'iS't^V'^-' 
7 ir^^-yp A S S E M 314 «^^ ■ - 

'^ ' ,. OWCMNCEJ. ^ '^' 
OS 



.>i.- 



'>^ 



'<^ 






<■■•• 



sri 



Pli(.|nHr,i|)li ..I" .111 ol.l lilii, and wliUr ■'Aliolilinn" |ilalr. I'.ul nf a m-i llial 
was iiscil tiv Mr. Saimul I)tinin.t; wluii . I iili Shrvrry cmn I'lilioiis uarc luM at 
liis linniL- ill l'aniiiii!.;t()n. Now iiwiuil In his (l;nii.;liUT, .Miss Kate I )i.'iniii;^. 



THE VILLAGE OF BRAUTIFl'L HOMES. 177 



FAC-SIMir.K OF ArTOCRAPHS OK IIIIC "MKNl)! XKIiliOKS." 01!li:l\AI, IN POSSES- 
SION OK Mlt. .JULIUS UAV. 



178 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 



Innuil about and ^ind aua\. tin- lii.n 
tears ciiasiiig one aiiotlai- ilowii liis dark 
clu'cks. 

Siirli are ^(■iiie of tile dim iiieniorie-, 
thai lin.m-r with nie eoiieeniini; thi^ siii- 
f^nlar episode of sixty years ayo. ll 
is uith some diffideiiee thai I veiUure 
into iiriiil with them, f-ir after so Ion;.; 
a lime I ma> easily be at fault in de 
laiN. and as 1 liaee already hinteil. ihere 
are some, older e\en than 1. xehose 
reeolleetions of liie lilaeU I'rinee and 



his peiiple must be far niiue worllw of 
record . 

Iivcntuall\-, throii.uh the etfoi'ts of 
charitable folk and the Missionary So- 
ciety, the thirty-six sur\ivors were sent 
back to their native Africa willi a ;4en- 
erous ec|ui])nu-nt of tunds and leachers. 
and in Januar\, i^>4-'. were establishrd 
in a .-ol.inx known a^ the Meiidi Mis- 
sion, near Sierra l.eone. — L'll AUI.ICS l.rn- 
^ AKii XoivTox. in l't!!'iinii;j,t<>n .\[ tti^iiznii'. 
hebruary. 1901. 



*lt has since been li-arned that the 
Africans pntbably came up from New 
llaven in wai^ons that were sent for 
them. 

"Called h'ooni in records. 



S^apanese Students. 



OXh:-Ql'AR'li:K of ., ceniur\ 
at;o a ,u 11> luunlu-r of \oiuhs 
from Japan tA]nv to our \ il- 

laye .anil fonnil ,1 yoi.d lionu-. 

,ilso careful insirnetioii .11 \lr 
Kdw.ird 1, 1 lart's Somr ueia^ sent b\ 
the Ja]i.anesi' i;o\ ernnieiil . others paul 
p.arl tlieniselvc-s and .1 few li.id .ibinid.anl 
means, Anionui liie nunibei'. three siaml 
onl in our niemoi-\ mort- prouiineiil l\ 
ih.an the others, Sinn.ad/. who wis ol 
rov.d birlli, ilisiin;4inshe I binisrlf h\ 
.appe.arin.n several times daily in dil 
tiTent suits, of v.irioiis shades .ami eiils. 
.ill Anuiican l.iilor-m.idr ; willi be.anti- 
tnl it aids wheriwer a iii.in could we.ar 
them; iieid< .am! footwr.ar ihe most 
choici.- ; ,and crownniL; .dl. .1 \ir\ con- 
scions .air, lie was a urnume iludvl 

MoL;aiiu, Ins i.ppi.site in i-\ir\ \\.i_\. 
w.is poor, ot humble birlii. modi-st. and 
li.id .1 mosi loMd\ n.aturr \xlneli elide. ired 
him |o .all his .\iueric.an associ.iU's I I 
I am not mist.iken all bis education was 
reeri\ed here where.as tlu- others, .al- 
ter le,a\in^ here, .nr.adualeil from the 
Hartford High School .and N ale Col- 
Ic.tce. Mogami had with him a friend 
who siid<ened .and died, lie cared for 
his friend most tenderl\- and to show bis 
aiipreciation lo the Ladies here, who senl 



delicacies and did for him in olhrr w,i\s, 
h.arl some copies of our li\iniial, the 
'■ri\iiiou|h Collection." cer\ riclil;. 
bound .and i>resented them. wntin.L; in 
e.ach, both in l''.ii,i;lisli .and j.ipaneM-. 
words ■)f gratitude .Mitsiikuri. .111 ini- 
iisu.illy hri.sjht youth, made frieiirls here, 
.and .It lioine .1 11. line fi>r Inmsell which 
e.i\e him the title of profess(n- and 
hrou.nht him to this coinilry a few years 
a.uo on sonu- business of scientihc iiii- 
porl.ance, lie remembered his friends. 
e\eii those in little h'.ariiiin,L;loii. c.allin,:; 
n|)on them .ill 

.Maii\ i,'\enin,es wvre devoted to these 
yomi.u; iiieii uiiile tlie\ were here ,it 
their studies. They were most ea.i^er 
to le.irn our .games .ami were ipiick to 
acquire ihem where we were slow and 
clnnisy to learn theirs, owing to the 
exceedingly ipiick and deft iiiiger mo- 
tions reipiired d hey were too piditi- 
lo l.aiigh at us but we did thai ]i.irt for 
ibi-m ver> well and gave up Irving lo 
inanipiilale our lingers as it w.is quilc' 
onl of the i|Uestion to do an\lliiiig in 
tint line ,is skilfully .as tlie.\ without 
practice from infaiic\'. At one g itlier 
ing, when refreshments were passed, 
.\logami was asked to "take a kiss. 
lie arose soiuewhat einharrassed hut 



evidently deteriuined to do his full ilut\. 
When it seemed uecess.ary to explain 
lh.it the kiss he was to take was of 
sugar .and on the pl.ile, he .also explained 
Ib.at "kiss is of ilu' lips." .and il took him 
some time to :^et tile idea straightened 
out. relaining an i,\])ri,ssion of wonder 
for .1 halt hour or more, .and 1 iiiust 
add, he w.is \ery good naliired .about 
Ihe nierriment it created, Ihe double 
me.aniu.g of words per]ilexed them 
gre.all_\ , 

.Milsukuri .iflerw.ards often wrote 
Ills friends here of his efforts to secure 
for the w. linen of his countrx more lib- 
erty .and pleasure. ,\fter many, many 
months came .1 jo\ fill Idler sayin.g his 
sisters were .allowed to join himself and 
.a lew friends occasion.alK of an e\eu- 
ing f ir games but it was a much longer 
liiiie before the\ were permitted any 
insiruclion .Some M-.ars a.go al tiie 
World's h'.air, the lie.ul of the Japanese 
dep.irliueni w.as pleased when these 
loimlrvmen ni his were eu(|nired after 
and said, .iiuoiig oilier ihiiigs, "Slmiadz 
is a gre.il man in our coimlry. very high 
in rank, and .Mit/iikuri is ver\ learned; 
he b.is a great mind." — S. L, CiHfM.\N 
in l-(in}iiii,^li>ii .l/i/.c'ijj/fic', Oct.. igoi. 




1 iii;nkn m \\ \i:ki,n 



THE VILLAGF, OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



179 



(il^ ^turr Arrnimta, 



^^■r HE recent nnc:irtliinir of an 
/ 1 old day book of Elijah Lcwi>, 

^^ the great grandfallicr of Mr. 
Charles Lewi.s, brings to light 
tlie nearly forgotten fact that, 
sliortly after the close of the Revolu- 
tionary War. he Icept a "general .store," 
in the building that is now the store 
and residence of -Mr. A. J. Parker. 

Many items in the book are charges 
for brandy and phlip, which were prob- 
ably the products of a still kept l)y Mr. 
Lewis, the foiind.ition walls of which 
are still plainly discernible, in the rear 
of Mr. Charles Lewis' residence. 

To give jnsl an insight into the sort 
of goods kept for sale, and the prices 
for which they were sold, some of the 
entries in the "old store book" are 
c|uoted just as written, the quaint spell- 
ing of the origin.al being preserved. 

The aniount> an- in pounds, shillings 
and pence. 

Sept. 2, 17S0: i 5. d, 

Amos Clark to phlip o- i-o 

To half Jill of rum o- 0-4 

" a half Point of nmi o- 1-4 

" a Jill of rum o- 0-8 

Oct. 31. 1780: 

To a Jill of rum o- o-S 

To half a Jill I'.randy o- 0-2 

To a Jill of Brand\- o- 0-4 

To half a Mug of Phlip o- o-S 

January. 1782: 

To a Quort of Brand\' o- 1-3 

Ditto to Brandy o- i-,? 

To a Quort of Brandy o- 1-2 

To a Quort of Brandy o- 1-2 

To a Jill of Rum o- 0-8 

(This acciinni runs iiloiti; for soinr 
fire years, i^'ilh till of the items much 
the s:nuc. There is uo record of its 
bciiiii settled.) 

April, 1780: 

John North Dr to five hundred 
Contenental Dollars. 

Apr.. 1782: 

Isaac liuck Dr. for a two year 

old helior ^-16-0 

.Aug., 1782: 
20 Pounds '-J of -Mutton o- 7-1 

To Carting Timber o- g-o 

To 17 Pounds of Veil o- 4-? 

Dec. 21, 1782: 
To a hide 58 Pound 0-1 4-f' 

-Apr. 24, 178,3, Judah Wooilruff 
To Bushel of Corn o- 5-6 

To a mug of Phlip Judah bad o- 1-4 
To Ca.sh I- ^-" 

To Candels 'J- o-^) 

March, 1786: 

Charles Woodruff to my hors 

3 miles o- "-9 

March 24: 
To use my hors O" -"° 



.M;iy: 

To use of my hors to worth- 
ington o- 2-t, 

.April 17, 1789: .' 

To forty Shillings in Certificate 
att lenn Shillings upon the 
Pound I- 0-0 

Creadit. 
Apr. 17. 1789: 

By Si.\ days work att 2-6 pr. 

day 0-15-0 

To bringing () Inmdred feet of 
Clapboards from barkhemp- 
sted o- 6-0 

September, 1787: 
Gersham Nott 8 pounds & Six 
ounces of Pork 4-2 half 
pound of tallow O- 4-6 

Decemlier 25, 1787: 

To load of wood o- 5-6 

.April 2, 1788: 

To sixpenc worth of Candels o- 0-6 
N'ovember, 17S9: 

To two .Sheeps heaiK & plucks o- 1-0 
X(i'l)L-r. 1790: 

To a Dung hill fowl o- 0-8 

Cre.idit. 
September, 1789: 

1;,' mending 2 pare of Shoes o- 3-0 
M.ncb. 1730, Gabriel Curtis: 

T.i a (hiy work and a half o- 3-9 

Ahi\-, 1790: 

To a Beehive o- 3-0 

September 28 : 

Paid for one Mounth School- 
ing fer your boy to Mr. buck. 
School Committee o- 2-^ 

No'br 20: 

To Sheep Skin o- 0-9 

-\dney Curtis Dr. December 6, 1794: 
to 18 pounds of Mutton o- 3-9 



" 21 pounds chcse att 6 penc 
pr. p. 0-10-6 

July, 1796: 

To pound of Buttor o- 0-9 

.\"ov 26, 1796: 

To 2 Qourts Brandy o- 3-0 

Creadit. 
December 6, 1 794 : 

By a pair of hand irons o-ir-o 

July. 1795: 

Lutiicr Shepard Dr. 2 pounds 
of Buttor o- 1-6 

July. 1795: 

To loth pounds of cheese o- 5-0 

.August : 

Tr) a <huig hill fowl o-o-io 

To a dussen of eggs o- 0-6 

October : 

To 2 Quorts Brandy o- 2-0 

One page has the following: — 

1797 
then i p.iid .Mr. Isaac Buck tor 

Sider 9° Dollars, 

paid Charles I'itkin for Sider 

12 Dollars. 
Paid for kodiish 4 Dollars & 

half 
Paid -Mr. omsted for freight 

of Goods from Xew vork 5.99 

Paid for mending my Boots 0.40 

June, 1798: 

John Cadwell, Dr: 

to 20 Bushel of otes f^oo 

to 51 " " otes 5^0 

to (1(1 " " otes 6.30 

■ 789: 

Steven (iridley Creailit by 
weaving .38 yards Cloulh att 
7 pence pr yard i 1-2-2 




liKSlDIC-Nrlv .\.M) .SniUK. Of MIS. -V. J. 

LI' 



I'.MIKDI!. tlli:MI.Kl.> nil, >l<'lil-. 01 I.M.hVll 
WIS. 



180 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 



Klizcr Jiul(i. Crcadit tci a Galon 
of Ncwiiislaiiil nim o- J-d 

Niivi-niliri- iilh, 17X1): 

I'Jiiali Slidiiu Dr. to .^ix iniii- 

drrd of l)i-iik 0-15-0 

lo a l)ii^licl of lime O- 4-0 

Martin Li.-\vi> Dr. lo nij horse 
troopini; o- yo 

1 he liiiok is full of interesting entries 
hut the spaee at onr eonimand oom- 
pel'S us to stop with the aeeount of 
Juilah WooilrntT. the huilder ..f [hr 
Congre.national Chnreh. who i> |>roli. 
ably tile best known of all of the iic-r- 
sons liavin.g aceonnts with the old store. 

Ncnemher I7tli, I^So; 
Judab VVoodrutr Dr : 
to fifty two Pounds Chese att £ ^- d 
O penee pr pd I- O-o 

to lift> Pounds lliittor att y 

])eiu\' .1 pd I-17-f' 

to \our eattel dougbing damige 
in my Carding 40 heads of 
Cabliagc spoilt o- 4-0 

November, 17SS: 

lo hriiiging your horse-, out 
fd the me.idow when 1 har- 
r.ird o- 1-0 

.May J, 1789: 

to a yoake of threi' year oUl 

Steers R- 0-0 

to a stiek of timher for a well 

Croeh o- 1-0 

.\iigust. 1781): 

to 00 weiglit of veal _• h.ippetiy 

pr pound o-lS-g 

Seplenihrr. 1789: 

to 3 stpiires of glass O- I-4 

October, 17S0: 

By Kli/er .Steel X Shillings 

yon .\ gred lo pay o- S-o 

Xoveniher J, 1780: 

to Ji) (i.-iUons of P.r,iiid> .VI4-''i 

.Xoveniher -'4. 17S1): 

to feteiiiiig oiu of the Coiii- 

iniui lield >oiir eallel o- 1-0 

Deeember 5. 17X1): 

to J hundred & .'4 feet of pine 

Ho.irds 0-7-10 

to 1 hundred of .,ke lioards o- .Vo 
My hors lo Pristol o- l-o 

.luK. 1704: 

to 5 pounds l.iiu nuilton n- 1-5 

l''ehrii.ir\ iX. 1 70.^ ■ 

to a I'.Ushel of poi.itoes o- JO 

I'aniungPni b'ebriiary -'J. 170'' 
then Keeoned with judab Woodrulf and 
due lo biiii four pounds .mil l'le\ru 
Shillings, 
•as witness our hands : 

JinAii WoonufF, 
b'lijAii l.ruis. 
b'.irniiiigloii. hehv, 2,^ 171X1. 
then P.alleiieed onr I'.ook aeeoniils bv 

Money. 

[ri'Mi W'noiiHt'l'. 

Li.il.Mi Lkwis. 



jfanniiiGton Mater Morhs. 



|.\ltbough written some live \e.irs 
ago, -Mr. Wadsworth s.iys lli.il this 
article is tboroughly np to il.iie, as 
no changes have heeu made- in the 
system since tli.at time, | 

^^■r' IIE history of the present sys- 
1 1 teiii of water works in Farni- 
^^^ ington uoiilil not he rom- 
plete without recording the 
many .ittempts made \i\ its 
citi/ens, since the earliest times, to 
bring the jiiire, clear w,iter from the 
springs on the monnt.iin side to tbeir 
bouses and h.iriis in the |irosperoiis vil- 
lagi' helow, ,\iid this prosperity is 
not a in\tli. l'"arinington w.is in fact 
iiji to lyXj the center of the most pop- 
ulous ilistrict in the St.ite. Likewise 
it e.in he safel\' sl.ited lli.at the wealth 
ol llie down w:is .at this time not sec- 
ond lo ll.artforil. 

lli.it the earl\ eitixeiis of k'urming- 
toll were alile, energetic ,iiid resource- 
ful is evidenced by the high .gr.ide and 
class of their homes and f.arm huild- 
ings, m.aiiy of which on .Main Street. 
erected before the War of the Kevcdu- 
tioii, st.iiid to-day as the most spacious, 
eoinfint.ible and tasteful dwellings in 
the vill.agc. Into some of these water 
was conducted from an e.arl\' perioil h\ 
means of a priiiiiti\e and most imji-u- 
ious systein. wbich, for w.iiil ol ,a 
more descriiilive name. might be 
called -ddie Yellow Pine l.og Piir 
Lines," These log |ii|)cs were made 
by boring ,1 two ineb hole through ei'^lil 
foot sections of yellow |iine logs, \ar\- 
ing ill si/e from six inches to one 
foot in cliameter. The melhoil of 
i. lining was to c.irefilllv taper the 
smaller end .and ream the oilier to 
prfiper si/e. The well known resist- 
ance of tiiis variety of wood to splitting 
made it possible to drive the sections 
together with gre.it force, insuring .a 
perfectly water tight joint, in fact 
these lines were Laid through valleys 
and over hills, niakin.g not miK good 
gravity lines, lint to .1 limiled exteiil 
servire.ihle force in.iiiis W'.ilei cmilil 
be di\erled at an\ point b\' siinpK bor- 
ing lo the axis of the main, lliere 
re.iming and plugging in .1 hi.nich 

1 be "Log Lilies" were met with 
every where in treiiehing Main .Street 
and with few exceiitions an a\e was 
required to reiuoxe a section the width 
of tile trench, so sound .and well pre- 
served were the logs. I Inc. in ]iartic~ 
nlar, which snii|ilied the buildings on 
llic site now occupied b.\ the lowii llallj 



after beiii.g cut through, m.iiiitained a 
flow of clean s])ring water for several 
hours, and this How was stojiiied only 
li\ thorou.gb plugging. Residents 

ill the \iciiiity for fifty years could not 
reiiiemlier the l.i\iiig of this "Log 
Lille," which would indicate the lou- 
ge\ily of these pi|ies under f.ivorable 
eoiulilioiis. I liese lines undoubtedly 

performed their mission faithfnllv lor 
main >eai"s, eheaiaiess being their 
great reconiinendation. 

\iiotlier kind of pipe line fre(|Uent- 
ly met with was constrncted of red un- 
gl.izeil brick tile of great thickness ,aiid 
strength, ha\ iiig a small bore not over 
one inch, I'liis was ]int together in 
sections of two feel with eonc-sbaped 
ends, tlu- joints being packed in clay. 
These lile lines could only have been 
used as .gravity conduits, as the resis- 
tance of the joints could not li.ive been 
greater than lb. it of the ela\ forming 
the bond at each joint; on the whole 
tlie\ must lia\'e been leaky failures and 
llieir use ahandoned in the colonies be- 
fore the advent of hydrants, as other- 
wise the use of this form of tile would 
li.ive ser\eil, to a limited extent, as 
,1 ]ierinaneiit .Hid serviceable con- 
duit, 

1 he next ilep.irlure was the use of 
le.ad in in.Lking pipes 'Ibis was ob 

taiiied in sheets, cut into proper widths, 
.mil roliLd .and soldered togelber at 
the local tinsmith's. Some of this 
old "Seamed Lead Pipe," laid some 
se\ent\ >ears ago, is doing service to- 
,1,1V, Da\id Carrington claimed to 
li.i\e made the lirst of this "Seamed 
I'ijie" for S.miuel Deniing, to displ.ace 
an old Log Line In laving it across 
M.iin Street it w.is aetuall\- run 
lliroiigb the old log main, either for the 
purpose of ]irotection or to save the 
expense of digging, or it may be both; 
,11 aii\' r.ile this s|,md:ird pioneer pipe 
was not molested or e\en found b\ the 
recent treiichina for the w.aler works 
or sewer s\stem. ddiis style of pipe 
in time displaced all the older, -.iiu] 
inan\ new ones were l.iid. reaching 
lurlher up llie side of the mounl.iin. 
( )ii the longest lines iii.my persons 
joined 111 bearing the cost .and sharing 
the |iri\ileges, so creating rights w'nieb 
are jealoiisl\- guarded to this da\ and 
p.irliciilarl\ valued for the excellent 
i|iialit\ of the drinking water supplied. 
,\ll the older iiipe lines were laid with 
|iipes of small di.ametcr, generallv one 
inch or less. Thest were capable of 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



181 



supplying only a very limited amount 
of water, say two or three houses and 
farm barns to one line, although there 
are two lines with pipes of larger dia- 
meter that supply several premises to 
each line. 

The most notable, largest, and b\- far 
the most e.xpensive of these private 
water conduits was the two inch con- 
duit constructed about the j-ear i860, 
by Austin F. Williams from the "Gin 
Still Brook" to his residence on Main 
Street, some two thousand feet. In 
1878 the buildings of the writer were 
connected with this system, thus af- 
fording a happy relief from the unre- 
mitting toil of pumping water from a 
well for sixty head of stock during the 
winter months, a task continued from 
the earliest recollections of the writer. 
In 18S1 an interruption occurred in 
this service from early in January to 
the following .-Vpril, the cause attributed 
being the usual one, the presence of an 
eel in the pipe. The persistency of that 
eel, and the fact that the well went dry, 
so necessitating the hauling of water 
with wagons, were a combination that 
raised a determination to have from 
some source an independent supply 
for the farm ; accordingly early in 
the summer of 1881 the "Gin Still 
Brook" was chosen as affording the 
only adequate supply for . a gravity 
system. Land was bought of Lucius 
F. Dorman in the August following, 
and later of William Pentalow. '1 he 
two purchases included the tracts 
known as the "Old Still Ponds," the 
lower being called No. i, and the up- 
per No. 2. In September a two inch 
galvanized wrought iron pipe was 
laid from Xo. 2, 3500 feet to the farm 
buildings and house. Under the pres- 
sure due to a fall of 112 feet, this 
gave a supply ample for several farms. 
Aside from repairing the dam to res- 
ervoir No. 2 there was no further de- 
velopment or extension of the system 
until the determination of a lawsuit 
in 1 886, brought in the year 1881 by 
a lower riparian proprietor. '1 he real 
extension of the system began in the 
fall of 1886 by connecting the houses 
of Mi.ss Sarah Porter (parsonage), 
Mrs. Rebecca Keep, Mr. Chauncey Rowe, 
Mr. Jas. L. Cowles. and the farm barns 
of Miss Sarah Porter and Jas. L. 
Cowles. 

In Jnlv, 1887, a four inch cement water 
pipe was laid in Main Street as far 
north as the front gate of Miss Porter's 
School, connecting at this point with a 
one inch water pipe running as far 
as Charpentier Avenue. In October. 
a one inch pipe was laid in Char- 
pentier .\venne from Main to Canal 
Street, and on Canal Street from Mr. 



Mason's on the .south to the residence 
of Mr. T. C. Collins on the north. In 
i8qi the four inch main water pipe 
w;is continued on Main Street to a 
|)<)int cipiiosite (iay's Store, setting four 
liydrants and two horse fountains, also 
running one Iiranch down the Avon 
road to the house of Mr. Noah Wal- 
lace and another down the passway to 
the houses of Miss Julia Hrandegee. 
Later in the same year a one and a 
quarter incli pii)e was laid on New Brit- 
ain .Avenue to the residence of Mr. 
II. K. Woodward. 

In 1892 it was clearly evident that 
the small reservoir was wholly inade- 
quate to supply the rapidly increasing 
demands of the patrons on the new 
lines. Therefore a tract of l.iiid of 
thirty-two acres was purchased in this 
year, and in the following year a (him 
was constructed seven hundred and 
twenty feet long across the valley, set- 
ting the water over some twenty acres 
at an average depth of ten feet and im- 
pounding approximately sixty million 
gallons of water. All this water is sup- 
jdied from springs, there being no brooks 
contributory to the system. The two- 
inch main from the mountain to Main 
Street was displaced by a six-inch "Cast 
Iron Pipe" and the two-inch pipe was 
afterwards laid from Gay's Store to the 
residence of Mr. D. N. Barney anddater 
to that of Mr. Wm. A. Hooker, the pres- 
ent terminus. 

In the session of 1895 a charter of 
incorporation was obtained from the 
(jeneral Assembly, and in June follow- 
ing The Farmington Water Company 
was organized under its charter with 
a capital stock of $20,000, divided into 
800 shares of $25 each. 

In September, 1895, a six-inch cast 
iron pipe was laid as far south as the 
Risley House. 

In 1896 the one and a quarter inch 
pipe on New Britain Avenue was dis- 
placed by a six-inch main, and carried 
up the avenue as far as the ui)per 
driveway of Mr. Redfield's, and a one- 
inch pipe carried as far as the "Fhish 
T,ink" at the summit. 

In 1899 a Filter Plant 80 by 100 feet 
w.is constructed below the main res- 
ervoir for the purpose of purifying and 
rendering wdiolesome the storage water 
during the sunuucr months. The 
method employed is sand fdtration, and 
litis last season it gave entire satis- 
faction, removing every evidence of fer- 
mentation imlicated either by taste or 
smell. 

In September, 1900, the water com- 
ically made a contract with the hre dis- 
trict for five years, to set and maintain 
tweiitv-three fire hydrants at ;i sti])U- 



lated price of fifteen dollars each. The 
water company in fufilling this contract 
laid 4,700 feet of six-inch cast iron 
|)ipe on Main Street and 2.270 feel of 
four-inch cast iron pipe on the side 
streets and highways. They also set 
eighteen additional fire hydrants, mak- 
ing with the four at the south end and 
one on New Britain Avenue the full 
number of twenty-three, capable with 
one thousand feet of hose now owned 
by the district, of protecting nearly 
every house in the borough. The de- 
pendence of a community upon hydrants 
for fire protection has been deiuoiistrated, 
from the standpoint of promptness 
and efficiency, to be the most economical 
and satisfactory. Especially is this 
true in conununities where relative 
high pressure can be obtained, capable 
of maintaining at least two effective 
streams sufficient to cover the highest 
structures. The hydrants in front of 
Miss Porter's School and the Congre- 
gational Church, at a test last Novem- 
ber, demonstrated that a stream could 
be maintained covering both structures 
at the same time, thus realizing in prac- 
tice what was predicted before the in- 
stallation of the present system, and the 
results cannot hut be a satisfaction to 
all. 

It can also be seen at once that the 
widely distributed hydrants form the 
basis of a more efficient system, when- 
ever the wealth and necessities of the 
District* require the purchase and main- 
tenance of a fire engine. With a 
wise and proper distribution i^ the 
hose at points in the North, South and 
Middle Districts, where it can be oh- 
►ained and promptly attached to the 
hydrant nearest the fire, the Borough 
would be in a position to secure tlie 
greatest efficiency of the present .sys- 
tem ; and this system would meet 
every (h-inand and necessity that might 
arise, within reasonable bounds, for 
m.my ye.irs to coiuc, and be a sub- 
st.'uuial protection and safeguard to tlie 
inriammable properly of the borough. 

I'roni the above il can be seen that 
the present Water Works System has 
been one of gradual and natural de- 
velopment, based on the growing de- 
mands and necessities of a prosperous 
community, the members of which have 
at all times been ready to co-operate in 
its construction, and quick to avail 
themselves of its benefits. 

In connection with the excellent 
separate system of sewers Farmington 
may be said to occupy a position, from 
a sanitary point of view, equal to that 
of the most favored community. — .A. R. 
W.MiswoRTH. in Fnrmiiisli'ii Mai;a:iiie 
Ma\-, 1901. 



182 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



Jpi^adi latBtuij. 



/] X iX(ij the 1m. Ill I'.i-iiiluTs \,v- 

^^•^ I'liniiiii; iiitiiTsU'il in pcacli 

^^0 iMi^in.y fi-i)in lalking witii 

I'llin !'■- Siiiilli. m.iiiu.ycr nf 

till- r.rrliii pr.irli i n'cliard. ami 

rc-ailins; llu- llali- I'.rnllirrs' nf (',la^lllll' 

liiir\. ai'fiiiinl^ nf llu-ir ^iicrrss. drcitlrd 

III utili/'i- a Inl nf 1 r |ia^luri' laml 

330 fi-'i/l al>ii\r M-a k'M-1, i-nvcrc-il uilli 
stoiii' and linisli. I liis was ])arliall\' 
clfarnl and .ioo piaili Iri-cs scl iml. 

hi tlirrr yrars llicsc Irrrs linri' siU'ii 
ihnirr frnil I'lial iiinrr Ircrs wcrr si'l 




■i'i!i:i' auim; i'hk ■iiii: i'imit" ai' i'iii'. 
■■iKKn-- im;m 



(MU, niniT land jinialiaMil and cdrarnl. 
till there are Mmv IwenI)' aeres nf iliis 
high land planud xvilli peach, plnni. 
eherr\ and apple Iree- in a In^li stale 
nf cnlti\alinn. liearin',; elmiee Irnil- 

in Oetnli i-, |i|oi. i'le.ident Rnnse- 
\a'll visited Ins sislei-. Ml■^. Win S. 
t'nwies, residing at ( >ldt;ate, !''.arl\ nn 
the iiiornini; aflef lii^ arri\al I'leadent 
Rnnsex'elt. aeennipanuii le ins dali.yh- 
ler. Miss Aliee, and Ins nieee, Miss 
Helen Kiinse\eh, ('ajil \\)ii, S. Cnwles. 
Seerelai\ ( niielMMi. 1 'r ki\e\ am! Mr. 
l''erLHisnn ualki-d np In Rallle^llake 
Mninilain. 

( )m llu-ir \\a\ hiinie llie\ stnpped at 
the I'luixis ()rilLird. as ihe Rnni I'.rns, 
had named il in menmi \ nf ihe In- 
dians wlm nine uaiidereil n\er i|s wilds. 
Durini; the nine >ears nf ile\ eli ipineiil 
this land had heeniiie i|nile a lesmt. 
owing In llie ImmiiI ifiil \ iew frniii ihe 
ledge. 

Ihe I'rc-^ideiil sahili-d tie ilag raised 

ill llnllnr nf his V isil . adllli Tell I lie \ iew. 

and, disilainniL; ihe p.illi. plunged mer 
Ihe elilT. f.illiiwed In ihe whnle paru 
Chiiging In rnehs .md trees. lhe\ uinl 
dnwii a iiearlv pel peiidic iil.ii deseeiil nf 
i.sd feel and reached .Main street in 
safely. 

Miss .\liee Kiinse\ell had heell diiwil 
the same plaee the \ear lu-fnie. aeeniii- 
paiiied liy her hrnther I lunilnri' ; Irving 
to take a rnnnilahniu wa\ Imine they 
heeaiiie Insl in Sli.ide Suaiiip, .iinl .if 
ler hnurs nf siriiggliiig thmiigh iiiiid and 
mire reached .Mrs. Cnules' residence 
in a weary and ludraggled conditimi. 



Abnnt live years after the Tiinxis 
()ndi.ird was started. .\. R. W'adsworth 
planted ten acres tn jieach Irei-s near 
the Knnt I'.rns. ..11 Land tliat had af- 
readv prn\ed its \.iliie i.\ ,grnwin,g ex- 
cellent aiiples. 

.\nrth nf Mr, W'.irlswnrth's Int. W.ir- 
reii ,\l,isnn li.is se\-er.il linndred peach 
trees ill bearing kimwii .as the "I'nplar 
Trei- ll.ars" i.rcli.ard. Still f.artlier 
iii.rlli Al.aii I'liillip, h.as set iie.ach trees 
nil the site fnrnierlv knnwn as ■■The 
■'hixil's Kncking (hair." owing In .an 
iniinens,' l.ntilder pnised there. This 
ruck ii.is now f.illeii ,iiid been crushed 
In .aid in ni.iking mir iiiuch iH'cded good 
rn.ids, A \\. Cook ,iiiil .\lliert Knime 
are .alsn .among the successful orcli.ard- 
isis on the heights, 

.Ml Ihesi- upl.ind orcli.irds now hear 
fruit ^^S rare i|iiali[\, lii,i;h color .and line 
l1.i\nr. and .are s]i..keii nf .is siiperinr 
In .any in I'niinecticul, 

'I liese ver\- successful ventures en- 



couraged fanners owning laud iu this 
vicinit\- tn ni.ake attempts to do like- 
wise, but. nwing to lack of facilities 
for spr.-iying. the .San Jo.se scale has 
worked Ikuoc among their trees, and 
only tile utmost diligence li.-is protected 
the larger orchards. 

Two years ;igo I'rof, Winihrn]. I 1111- 
\er. of the Wisconsin L'iii\ersiiv. de- 
cidc-d In iiursue .i.griculture instead of 
teaching. lie made .'i Imir nf invesli- 
.galion nmou.g iie.ich grnwers from 
Michigan tn M.aiiie and lU'cided th,-it 
Ivirmingtou h.ad the soil, cliinale, ac- 
cossihility |o ni.irket. etc. lU'Cessary for 
siu'cessful pe.ich culture, .\ccnrdiiigl\ 
he purchased hileeu acres nf mount.iin 
kiiiil .iiiil iu the sprin.g of niofi ]uit out 
_',noo yoiiiyu trees on the kind lornier- 
K owned l.\ the Hart I'.rns.. .•lud used 
b\ liiein for the successful raisin.g of 
small fruit. This nrcli.'ird lias .great 
pnssibilities from its situ;itinn and al- 
read\ h.is .a iiiosi promising Inok. 




i\ IIII I'lM II mil si: \ r 1 111, 1 1 \ \rs oki 11 \i:i 







THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFl'L HOMES. 



183 




JlriHU-itii of Alfrrh A. JJiijir. 



■IllLL-STRAlV— RKSIDIONrE OF ALPHKIl A. POl'li. 




AN i\i'i;innR at '■irir.r, stiimv" 



184 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT. 




KAllJIIIDl SK ON -1111.1. SI i; \li" l\K\l 




.%y< 




*-**->»* .;>;■> -WJM* 




A lil^lANl \1)U' OF llll.l. Ml'. All 




U.VDi:i!i,i:iii;i-. i m iai.,i-.— o.\ • iull-stkau" i-.vh.m. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 

"®bt» mi> Eiib Shop." 

"Zhe (Brunb^." 



185 



.1/. /; n 



ill the [■aniiiir^lnn Maaci: 



'inc. July, /Q02. 



^ ( ) RETURN to the (lays of rag 
^J carpets and brick ovens would 
^^ scarcel}- be the choice of peo- 
ple enjoying the hixm-ies of 
to-day; but it gives them a 
distinct pleasure to step into the past 
for a half hour, a pleasure close at 
hand in the privilege given by Miss 
Pope to go through the O'Rourkery. 
This, as may be known to all, is an old 
farm house on High street, once be- 
longing to Mr. O'Rourke, whicli passed 
into Miss Pope's possession several 
years ago and which she has tilted up 
in perfect keeping with tlie customs oi 
the times in whicli the house was 
built. 

The outside shows the architecture 
that was the outcome of necessity for 
protection against Indian attacks — the 
overhanging second story. The inside 
reproduces and follows faithfully in 
most details the simplicity and severitv 
of even the prosperous householder of 
a hundred years ago. Xobodv attempt- 
ing to live in an old house nowadays 
would dispense with the comfort of 
modern heating and plumliing. 'i'hese 
are found here but they do not ex- 
clude the fire-place or tile r|uaiiit cor- 
ner wasli-stand. Tliere are line 
specimens of four-posters witli their 
canopies and hangings and patch quilts 
of riotous gaiety, and beside each is 
found the demure candle-stand so puri- 
tanical in suggestion that one would 
hesitate to lay upon it the Dolly Dia- 



logues or the Confessions of a Frivolous 
Hirl. The ancient timepiece counte- 
nances on the wall only samplers and 
high colored prints, and the melodeon 
suggests the psalm singing tbat s.itis- 
lied all the nuisical instincts of the 
times. 

.\11 the furnishings are genuinelv old 
and the survival of the brilliant black 
and red table cloth in the "settin' room" 
is a triumiih of vigilance against its 
natur.il enemy. Its color and design 
make one glad to live in the days of 
Ruskin and .\lnrris. The many im- 
pressions one liriiigs away of spacious 
rooms, simple and elegant lines of fur- 
niture, of light and air in every cor- 
ner and an absence of small tilings th.-it 
crowd, make the survey ,i l.isling 
pleasure. 

During the last twelve years some 
additions to the original structure have 
Ihimi in.ide and one room in the ell has 
grown into a shop, best described by its 
sign, so modest that it has never ap- 
peared,— "Odd and End Shop"; where 
every day soothing beverages that in- 
vigorate in the cold winter and refresh 
in the heat of sunmier are much sought 
li>- Miss Porter's school girls and oc- 
casional villagers and visitors. No 
better summing up of the resources of 
this unique place could be found than 
the lines sent as a joke bv a Hartford 
ladv: 



ODD AND END SHOP, 
fientle stranger, will vou stop 
And raise the latch of mv small shop' 
I*" not pass by in restless haste, 
r\e something here for every taste 
Mittens for both girls and boys, 
Knitted reins and other tovs. 
Hot roast peanuts, toothsome cakes 
('Uiger snaps, and Bagdad dales. 
Coffee too, which you must know 
Crows in sunny Mexico, 
' 111 far Esperanza's height, 
Vyiiere the coyotes cry by night. 
VouMl find its flavor unsurpassed 
To crown the end of your repast; 
.\lthougli you sail o'er seven seas, 
Sto|;ping aiiNvvIiere you please 
I'll be bound, you'll never see 
The equal of our special tea. 
Named for England's ancient tower. 
Symbol of her might and power. 
Every day we serve it here 
\\"\\\\ cream and sugar, or just clear. 

Sill mid you w.int a didly drest, 
Or a golfer's hand-made vest. 
Or a rug of colors gay. 
Leave your order now 1 pray. 

Time forbids that I detail 
.All the goods 1 have for sale; 
Come and see them, row on row. 
Something you will buy I know. 
Should you hail from foreign climes. 
Nor understand our English rhymes, 
With just, though modest pride I'd say : 
"/(•/, iiuuldinr. I'nn /^aiir Praiicais." 




om) AND END SIIOI 



186 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




TNI, n'\'.:,\ 1;M |:\ ii\ ■ iliM -I [,\\f F \U\[. 




I'.i.i, (II' 'I'lii': (l■l:l)I■l;Kl;l;^ . sikiwinc ■■(hiu wii i:\ii sihii'" 




AN iN'n:i!iiiit AT Tin: (iim and i;\ii siici' miss siiii:i,s. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



187 



f r^Btftnit Snns^u^It B liatt tu iFarmimilmi. 



( I'^rom Hartford Couraiit Wednesday. 
October 2;}. igoi. ) 

IN I'ARMINGTON— PRES. ROOSE- 
VELT VISITS THE ANCIENT 
TOWN. 



.All Informal Reception — Guests Greet 
Chief Executive at Covvlcs Residence 
— Governor McLean and Senators 
Havvley and Piatt in the Dis- 
tinguished Company — ^Mc- 
Kinle\- Oak Planted. 



Vesterdav and la-.t night the ancient 
and beautiful town of Farmington was 
honored by the presence of the Presi- 
denl of the LInited Slates, and ,the 
he.irty welcome and generous hospitality 
exteiideil to him must ha\e lieen a 
source of gratilicalion to the chief exe- 
cutive of this country. 'I lie President 
and those who made the journey from 
Washington with him arrived in Farm- 
iugton early yesterday morning. 1 hc\ 
wenl up frimi New Ha\en on the 
Northampton division of the Consoli- 
dated ro.ad. Tliose with Pre.^idenl 
Ro(ise\elt were Cnmmander Will. Shef- 
lield Cou'les, Ills bnither-in-law, .Secre- 
tary Cortelyou, Dr. P. M. Rixey, .As- 
sistant Secretary Harnes ami D. Mun- 
roe Ferguson, formerly of the Rough 
Riders. There were also four men of 
the governmeiil secret service who had 
been detailed from WMshington to watc' 
over the president's person. At the 
station a number of townspeople were 
assembled and they cheered the Presi- 
dent as he left the train. 

Mrs. Cowles. the President's sister, 
was also on the platform ,ind extended 
a w.-irm greeting to her brother. Be- 
sides there was a detail from the Hart- 
ford County sheriff's office ami the con- 
stabulary of Farmington. reinforced liy 
special appointments for the day. 

As soon as the greetings were over 
the distinguished visitors were driven 
to Olilgate. the home of Commander and 
Mrs. Cowles, where they were to be 
guests during their stay in Farniiiig- 
ton. 

The house is situated on Main street, 
and is a fine example of colonial archi- 
tecture. Between the high posts in 
front of the main entrance hangs an iron 
gate of ancient pattern, and this fea- 
ture gives the residence its name. 



On the mile .and a half drive from the 
station President Roosevelt occuiiied 
the first c.irri.age. and with him were 
Couun.-inder and Mrs. Cowles. In the 
second carriage were Secretary Cortel- 
you. .Assistant Secretary Barnes. Dr. 
Rixey and Mr. h'crguson. Deputy 
Sheriffs Foote of West Hartford. Cowles 
of Farmington, and Egan of Southing- 
ton followed in a third carriage, .ind 
tile rear of the procession was brought 
up by the four secret service men. On 
the way from the station the President 
remarked the be.uUiful scenery 
of the mountain and meadows disclosed 
and spoke enthusiastically of the ;it- 
tr.ictive homes that line the borough 
street. On reaching Old.gate Com- 
mander and .Mrs. Cowdes and llieir 
gnesls .at once went inside the nrnisioii 
and soon .after breakfast was served. 

In the meantime ;i .guard was iil ice I 
in from of the house to keei'. out in- 
strusive visitors. .Samuel .Scott was 
placed in charge of the entrance gate 
.Old no line was admitted t^J tin- lnuise 
thereafter during the da\ . except b\ the 
presentation of a card which had first 
reeeixed approv.il. I he secret service 
men were stalioiie 1 ah mt the outsiile 
nf tlu' house and several energetic 
boningb constables kept the crowd, 
which had assembled in the streets, in 
proper order. The deputy sheriffs 



were also on h.iiid to lend their assist- 
ance if needed. 

After hri-akfasl President Roosevelt 
changed tile business suit in which he 
had traveled llirough the night. I'or the 
formal presidential .g.arh of black frock 
coat and vest and dark mixed trousers. 

At 10 o'clock Warden .Adrian R. 
Wadsworth of the borough of Farm- 
ington, .aceomp.inied by Burgesses .A. 
A. Redlleld, David R. Hawley. William 
ilurlhurl. K. E. Hutchinson, T. 11. 
Kont .mil Clerk Charles I'randegee. 
c.illed npnii the President .and when 
they had been presi'iited by Commander 
Cowdes. .Senior ISurgess .Redlield de- 
livered tills address of welcome: 

"Mr. President: — We arc well :iware. 
sir, lint ihe occasion of \onr \isit to 
l''armingliiii is purely donieslie :uid 
person:d. (iool m:iiiners dictate a 
je.ilons :ivoiihince on our p:irl of any 
ili^lurh:inie of the (|niii you seek. We 
an- therefore doubly grateful to you 
for conseiiling to receive the borough 
council of l''armiiiglon in this informal 
and kindly manner. On behalf of the 
people of this vilhi.ge :ind of the town 
of I'^irminglon. :is well, we bid you a 
ciirdi:d weUoine. We beg you to be- 
lieve th:il :is our Chief Magistrate we 
entert:iin for _\oii the highest respect 
and good will and as a rc|>resentative 
.American citizen you have our wannest 




FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 



ridniii-.ilion ami allcHtiniialc regard. 
W'r lici; villi til ariT|il tlu' frcciliiiii nf 
llu- linrDHuIi 1)1 l''aniiin,yliiii." 

rrv^iilnil KiiiiM\ill mailr a lirirf 
rr|j|> III llu- aililrc^s, 1 U' thanked tliu 
vvanlrii and liiirKL'ssrs fur tlic i'.\])ri's- 
sjiiiis III" Li'Mid will ri iiitaiiu-il in llir ad- 
lll^■^-. and said llial wrrr il pi issililc lu- 
uiiiild lir must lia|i|i\ III nUTt all tlu- 
])cii|ilr nf l''arininL:liin ]H-rMiiially. As 
this vMinId IMI lir piissilili- lir di-sirrd 
till- 1)1 in iiil;1i riiiinril tu ri-iTi\c fur 
tlu-iiisi-K I's and llu- pri)|ilr nf I'aniiin.L;- 
liiii his i-i>rilial thanks and hrsl wislu-s. 
■| la- l'i-(-,idi-iil alsii di-.-lincd llu- hiiinir 
nf iiliiilni'^ an nak' I ri-c in inrMiiir\ nl 
I'rrsidrnl McKinli-\ mi llu- Sarah I'nr- 
lir Mriiiiirid I'ark, sayiiit; ihat as lu- 
had drrlnud In lakr in nllu-r inriiinrial 

srr\ il r ■ It Wnllld llnl 111- in L^nnd lastr 

111 make an rxi-i-plinii in llu- case- i 
l'"arniiii;jliin. 



At in:3o n'fliick, ihi'rr carriaL;rs wrn- 

drawii up in rrmil nf llu- rnlraiirr i;alr, 

,-iml snnii afirr the pri-siiK-niial parl\- 

ranu- frniii tlu- hmisi- fi n- llu- ])iirpiisr 

iif lakiiiL; a shnrl (Irnr, rrt-siiU-nt 

Kiiiisi-xi-h eiili-ri-d llu- first carriage and 

with him mdr Mrs, Cnwh-s, his sisU-r. 

In llu- iK-\t carriaiii- wi-rr Cnminandi-r 

C'liw'h-s. whii had iml mi his iia\al niii- 

fiinn. Si-i-ri-lai-\ CnrU-lMni. Mrs W. 

r>a\ai d ( ■nllin.n nf Xi-w \i<r\< and 1 'i 

I\isi-\. In till- third rarriai;!- wt-ri- l> 

Mmirm- i-'i-r.iiiisnn. Assistant Si-i'rrlar\- 

I'larnrs, Miss Alin- l\iiiisi-\-i-ll. a danL;h- 

li-r nf llu- rn-siih-nt. and Miss Ih-lrii 

Kiiiisr\i-ll. his nii-i-i-. The parl\ was 

diiMii lip ihr iiiaiii siri-rt tn l-'arniiny- 

Inn a\i-iiiir and llu-ii past I) Xrwlmi 

I'.arnr.'s risjdrncr In llu- iinrlli fur a 

clislaiu'i- nf Iwn niili-s Tlu-n llu- rmili- 

was 111 llu- wa-sl 111 llu- Cidi-r I'.rnnk 

rnad, and llirn smilli lhrniu.;li llu- main 

sirri-l a^aiii A turn was lIu-ii maiK- 

lii Ihi- hiL;hlaiuls at llu- i-asl. and as llu- 

Pri-siiU-iU's i-arria.ur n-ai-lu-d llu- Cmi- 

Ltri-iialimial I'hiin-ii. mi llu- wa\ hark 

In ( IhJMalr. llii-rr. drawn up in liiu-. wi-n- 

151) lillh- lii)\ s and i;irls rai'li waving , 

ll:|.4. 

As llu- I'ri-siiU-nl pi-rii-iM-d this dainl\ 

wrK-iinu- lu- anisi- in llu- rarriam- and 

-milinyK raised liis lial. d'lii- ehildreii 

rhei-n-d him gleefully. 

I he relnrn was then niaiK- In ( dd.nale 

and llu- earria.yi- ride was i)\er. Ihil 

llu- rresidi-nl ilesin-d In see mure nl 

l-'arniiiii^lmi and si 1 w-illi ('miimander 

Ciiwles and Sei-retar\- {.'iirlelMiii he 

Iniik a slinrl walk frmii llu- Imnse f^n 

in-> lip a;4aiii In llu- IiilU In llu- easi and 

ayaiii eiiiii\in,y the line prnspeel (In 

his walk the rre,iileiil iiiel I'hilander 

Ser.ueanl. a veteran nf the I wc-lflh \'er- 

nimil- Mr. SerKeanI wnri- a lirand 

Ann- hnlliin and hal ami this al mue 

.-aii'^hl llu- PresiiK-nl's e\e. lie asked 

the M'leran his name and re.uimenl am' 

shiink him warniK \i\ tlu- hand, lle 



even recalled the name Stannard. nf 
the siildier's nld hriKade cmninander. 

In the nieanliiiie (inNernnr McLean. 
.Senator and .Mrs, llawley, and Si-natnr 
and iMrs. I'latt Ii.mI .irri\eil at llu- 
Cinvles luiiisc. and mi the rresidenrs re- 
turn frmii his shnrl pedestrian tmir. 
lhe\ extended tn him .-i welcnnie In 
Ciinnecticiit I.mulu-mi w.is served at 
I n'cliick and the L'nited Statc-s sena- 
tnrs and their wives jnined the presi 
deiilial partx as the i;nests nf Cum- 
m.inder :inil Mrs. Cinvles. 

.\fterniiiin l\i-i-e|iliiin 
In the afteniniin llu- rresulenl n-- 
ci-ned tlinse whn had heeii inviled In 
p.-|\ their res|)ects In liini. ,Adiiiissinii 
w'.-u liy card and niaii>- visilnrs av.-iiled 
llu-mselves of tlu- in)iiiirliinil\ nffered 
In meet the eNCcntixe nf llu- ii.ilinii. .\l 
3 ii'cliick the Mimu4 wniiien frmii .Miss 
I'lirter's sclinnl were received d lu-\ 
wi-nt tn the hnnse ill .-1 lind\ .nid ^raci-- 
fully pa\iiit; their respects In President 
Knnsevelt were as Ki':u'iiiUsl\ received. 
In the meantime a lar,t;e crnwd h.id 
,i;.illiere(l ill frmit nf the hmise and 
were interestedl> watchini; the prnceed- 
in.us. Suddenly and withnnl w.irnm.L; 
the President. Coniniander ('nwhs and 
.Mr. Cortelyou appeared in llu- dnnr- 
w-av. .Mninst .is rapiill.\ tlu-\ pas-.ed 
diiw-n the ]>ath thrnu.uh tlu- .s^ale and 
,lrppeil into a carriage. 'I lu-v wen- 
al mice driven north tliroii;_;h the stn-el 
111 tlu- park where the nak w'.is lii-iiu..; 
planted in honor of President .McKiii 
lew dhe crnw-ds in the street .-iiul a.! 
the |i.irk. cheered tlie I'resideiit heartily 
all nf the w-.iy. On arriving at the park 
llu- earriai^e was driven arninid llu- .urass 
plat and then hack |o ( lldi^ate. The 
ohiecl of the drixe w.is that the Presi- 
dent might see the tree planled in hmim 
I if his predecessor. 

( )n the return In llu- house the re- 
ceplioii was at mice resmiii-d .iiid iii- 
xiled .niu-sts sniin tlironifed the resi- 
deiii-e, .\fter ])resenl ini; their cards al 
llu- .yate the •^nesls were received li\- 
Indei- l>i-iiiiiifi of I'.irminfiton and pre- 
seiiled In Mrs. Cowdcs and Miss .-Mice 
Ronsi-vell. whn received in the en- 
Ir.ince li.ill. Ke\ Dr. Johnson of l''arm- 
inKton then iireseiiled llu- visitors In 
('miiiiiander Cnw-les. wlm in turn ni.ide 
llii- iiilrnihii-tions to the Presidenl. Tlu- 
Presidenl stood in the lar,i;e iiarlor al 
the left of the residence and w.is as- 
sisted in reeeiviiiK hy .Seii.ilor and Mrs. 
Ilawlev and Senator and Mr,. Pl.ill, 
In the lihrarx, h.ick nf the p.irlor. at 
llu- reipu-st of Miss llelell Roosevelt, 
the antonr.-iph of every visitor was writ- 
ten in a hook ]irovided for the |mrpose 
In llu- l.irtje ilininj' room refreshments 
were served. Miss I'dorence Gay serv- 
inti llu- tea and Miss .-Mice Cay the 
eliocol.ile AiiimiK those who were 
present at the reception were : 



l-rmii Il.'irtfnrd. .Maynr ll.irliisnn. 
.Major J. (i. R.-ilhhiin. .Mr. and Mr.-;. 
Walter (irit'fin. Dr. and .Mrs. j. II. Rose. 
Ivxecntive Secretarx loliii I". Rohiiisoii. 
.Mr. and .Mr.s. 11. J. Wickham. Mr, .iiid 
.Mrs. Lewis D. F*;irker. Mis, .Marx Ikir- 
Imi. .Mr and Airs. F.rnesl ('.idx. .Mr, and 
Mrs l-'ranklin C Whiimore, |. 1'. Rx.ui. 
.Miss Elizaheth W'ainxvriyht and Mi,, 
M.-ir,!{;iret Warner. 

I'rom I'.irmin.iitnii. Rev. I)r. .iiid Mrs. 
J.is I) hihiisnn. llu- .Misses Jnlmson, 
•Mr and Mrs. Julius (iay. .Miss [■"lorence 
liax, Mr. .and .Mr,. D Xewtoii I'larney. 
Mrs Saraii Ikirnex. Miss Brande.yee. 
.Ml and .Mrs. Lrastiis Ciay. the .Misses 
(i.ix. Jiidse and Mrs. h". II. Demin.n. 
Mr .-iiid .Mrs W K tli.isi-. \ \ Red- 
lielil and .Mis, Reihield. I, I-'. I )iininnii- 
aiid .Miss Dunniiu,;. I. lines I, Cowles 
.Mill the .Misses Coxvles. .Mr. and .Mrs. 
R 11 I lawley. Miss .Maria Purler. .MisS 
F.lizaheth Porter. -Mr. .ind .Mr,. A .\. 
Pope, Miss Pope. Mr. and .Mrs A R. 
Wadswnrth. .Mr. and .Mrs (/has. lirande- 
.Hee, .Mr. and .Mrs. Rntil. I'.raiule.yee, 
Mr and .Mrs. F. L. Scott. .Mr. and Mrs. 
C. P.. Vorce, the Mi,ses A'orce. .Mr. ;in(l 
.Mrs. IL L. Allen. .Mr. and Mrs. W. I',. 
Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse .Moore. .Mr. 
and .Mrs. 1. pi. Griggs, Mrs. Lyon, .Miss 
l.xoii. |)r. .iiiil Mrs. Chas. Carriiigtmi, 
.Mr .and Mrs II. W. I'.arhonr. Miss 
l',,irliniir. Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Rnnl. 
.Mr. ,inil .Mrs. 'V II. R.inl. .Mr and Mrs. 
.\iisiin Porter. Rich.ird (lax. Mi,s Jnlia 
P.rown. .Mr. and .Mrs. II. II. .Mason. 
.Miss I I ax. lock. .Mr. and Mrs W. .\. 
Hooker, the Misses Klaiiser. .Mr. .mil 
.Mrs. .\lherl Il.irt, Mrs, Win. II .\1- 
leii. Cliarli-s I.exvis. .Mi,s .Marx Lewis. 
Dr. 1-rank Wheeler. Mr. :ind Mrs. C. 
W Rnic. Mr. and Mrs Paul Wollen- 
lieri^. Mr, .-Mid Mrs. l-alw. I'illolsnn, 
.Mr .Mid Mr, J. 11 Andrews. .Mrs J. 
I-: Cnwles. .Mr .-iiul Mrs ( . J I Imrpe. 
Prof, and Mrs. Swell. Mr. and Mrs. 
C. S. M.-iso n.Mrs. I'.rilton. .Mr,. Samuel 
Rool. Mr and .Mrs. Janes and .\lfred 
Skonglaiid. 

The receiilimi cnnlinned milil after 
5 n'l-lnck. .Mill afli-r llu- i4iii-s|s h.id de- 
p.irled llu- Presidenl passed llu- lime 
iinlil siindnwn in llu- limise .-Mid ahoiil 
the i;innnils of the Coxvles residence. 
In Ihiisi- wlin called upon him in the 
afternnnn lu- expressed his pleasure al 
llu- rei-epiinn given In him mi llu- occa- 
simi of his visit In l-^arniingtmi. 

I he evening was p.issed ipiietly hv the 
pri-sidenlial ii.irlx. Dinner was served 
at ; n'l-lock .111(1 at Ihi, fiindioii C,ov. 
McLean xvas .-1 gni-st. 

Mi-lxinlev. Memorial Iree. 
While President Roosevelt xvas mi- 
ahle In lake pari in the exercises inci- 
di-nl In the pl.-\nling in iiiemorv of 
Pies McKinley mi llu- Sarah Porter 
Memorial Park yesterday, the exer- 
cises wore of exceptional interest. Gov. 



THE VIT LAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES, 



I89 



McLean went to Farmingtnn 011 tlie 
110011 train from New Haven and aflcr 
liuu-hiny at llie Cmiiitry Clnli ami meet 
ins; ['resilient Rooievelt, went U> the 
|.ark anil placed the first shovel of dirt 
.ihont the tree. The governor also 
made a shm-t address in which he drew 
a lesson from the life of the dead Presi- 
dent. Addresses were also made by 
Warden Wadsworth and Bnrgess Rcd- 
lield of Faniiington, and Mayor Harbi- 
Min of Hartford. While the ceremonies 
were in progress President Roosevelt 
driixe alnmt the park and witnessed the 
planting of the tree. A large crowd was 
present during the ceremony. 

The following citizens of Farmington 
borough served as constables yesterday: 
l'raid< llawley, borough sherifif Sainue' 
.Scott, F. Gilbert, Albert Rlynn, Henry 
I'.isniau, Thomas Collins, Julin Rhodes, 
Henry Gallagher, Amnii Janes, Chaun- 
cey Griswold, Edward Miles, Kcron 
.M.inion, ('"rank Harris. Harry Reed, 
\\illi,ini Iteming, H, H. Mason and 
h'rederiek Hurlburt. Each constable 
,ind deijuty slieriiT was designated by a 
]):idge, which he displayed at any time 
it became necessary to warn the crowd.- 
liack. The best of order prevailed • nd 
no shiiw of force was at any time 
needed- E.xtra cars were run on the 
F'armington trolley line and tliev weie 
crowded all day. Faniiington str'C^s 
were Ihronged with visitors. 



COM^L\NDKR William .S. 
Cowles, of the U. S. Navy, 
has recently restored and 
improved the fine ccntury- 
old homestead in this village 
at the south end of M.iin Street, in 
which he was burn. Mrs. Cowdcs is 
a sister of President Roosevelt. When 
the President came from Washington 
to attend the bi-centenial celebration nf 
N'ale L'niversity and to receive his de- 
gree of LL. D., he fulfilled his promise, 
made long ago, to visit his sister in 
Farmington. 

It was soon known that the Presi- 
dent would be in town on the 22(1 of 
October, and everybody was alert to 
sec him. The special train which 
brought him from Washin.gton reached 
the I'arniington station at h.alf-past 
seven in the morning. 1 he bcinuigh 
had appointed special constables, and 
tbev with a few friends were there to 
welcome the distinguished guest. With 
him were Mr. Cortelyou, his private 
secretary, and Dr. Rixey, whose names 
had become so well known in connec- 
tion with the sad tragedy at linffalo. 
They drove at once to the bimse i)f 
Commander Cowles. 



Soon after ten o'clock the visitors 
drove through the town, the line of 
carriages being led by that containing 
the President and Mrs, Cowles. The 
houses had been decorated with (Lags, 
and the people .stood in front of their 
homes, the .school children on the 
church green, waving a welcome. The 
President's response was most liearly 
and winsome. 

From half-past two until live there 
was a quiet reception of invited friends 
at the Cowles mansion, in which the 
hosts were aided by Dr. Johnson, Mr. 
' D. N. Ranicy and Judge Dcmin.g, also 
bv a few young ladies. As usual the 
President charmed his callers by his 
genial reception of thciii, always reinark- 
ing when possible on some association of 
armv or college or ne-ghborhood life. 
Senator and Mrs. Phtt, Senator and 
Mrs. Hawley and Governor McLean 
stood with the President in receiving 
the guests. 

The President's visit to l'"arniingloii 
will long live in the memories of the 
people, an<l will lake .high rank among 
the interesting traditions of the vil- 
lage. — From FannigtoH ^fag^l:ilu^ Dec, 

IIJOI. 




.STUUIl.) OF MK. CH.\l<I^K.S FOSTER 





Ki:siiit:M'ic OF ( atiii'.imm: m\mon 



THK OLD CADWELL PLACt.— KKMOKNCE 
OF A. S. GKEENBEKG 



190 



FARMINGTON, CONNFXTICUT. 







^ytilss J, orter s School. 



^ i"T I iK inorr ill. in -.ixlv \r,irs llu- 

^^^ ll.'llllr I'l !'";iriiiill;_^t( Ml ll.is lirrll 

^^ s\ iiMin iiiiiiii w'illi lli.il III" Mis, 

Sarali I'lirUr anii Iht wrll- 

l<iiiuvii liiiariliiiL; m-IiuhI fur 

KirK llu- wiuk uliirli Miss I'lirlii- aiil 

iiiuld lianll\ In- rrprak'il lillirr in i|s 

cluraliiiii 111' in ils raiijic cif iiilliiriur. 

Miss I'lirlrr's fallirr was llu- \W\ . 
N'liali I'dilrr. I) I), I'lir si\l\ \rars pas- 
liir III llu- I'aniiiiiHliiii ( 'i in,nrr;..;alii uial 
(_ luinai, anil sin- was linni in 1X15. in 
lliL- liniisr wluaa- sin- ilii-il, a c|narUr iif a 
niilr sniilli III" iIk- siliiiiil liiiililiiiK, Slu- at 
Irndi'il llu- acailrniv, anil sliiilicil wlial 
lIiL- l)n\s fjiil ill llir saiiu- w:i\. I',\ci-ll 
inn ill all sindiis. prrliaiis Iht fa\iirili' 
Iiiirsiiil was laiiHiiaj;r, anil lirr liisi 
U-aihinv, was iIihk- as an assisianl in 
llu- aiaili-in, when slu' was sixlcen years 
"111. In iNi-', wln-n iiiiu-UTii \r.ars cif 
:if;r. Miss I'lirUi- wa-iil In .\'rw lla\iii, 
and .ilU'iidnl fur .1 \aa|- llu- sclimil id' 
Ui', v.. .\. .Xiidnus. tin- U-.vicii^raplu-r. 



.'iiid distin^iiislu-d l..-iliii si-ln il.ir, 'I'iiis 
w.is lu-r iiiu- iippiirlniiil \ fur .nKaiurd 
sillily and lu-r mily srln h iliiii; aw ,\\ I'imiii 
I11111U-. Slu- w.Ls an iniiiati- iil" tin- I". 1111 

il_\- lit" I'l-lifc-ssnr Cniidrich III" ^■.■lK■ ('ill 

K-t^v- ; and lu-r lirnllu-r, Xn.-ili, llu- l.iU- 
I'l-fsiiK-nt I'urh-r cd' N'.'ili- I 'ni\c-rsiiy 
llu-n twi-iitv \i-ars nld, was tin- iiiasu-r 
(if tlu- lliipkins (iraiiuiiar Siliiinl. Afu-r 
this slu- tanylit in Spriiigiuld. lailf.iln. 
and riiil.iili-l]ilii.i, lull liii.dl\, ill l''.-iriii- 
iii,u;|iiii, aliniil |N44. s'u- lunk up lu-r own 
disiiiuliv (- wiirk. 

llrr siliiKil lirj;,in ill an ii|iprr rnnni nf 
wli.il was kniiwn as t'u- "stniu- sturi.-" 
Jiisrpli U llawK-\, tin- l.-itr Si-ii.ilnr 
1 l.iu lr\ , and Mr. |i dm 1 Imikcr nr 
i-ii|iii-d an iilTu-r nil tlu- sanu- Unnr. M r 
1 liiinias Ciiwlis, fatlu-r id C'a|itaiii W . 
S. Cdwlos ( brolhcr-iii-law of Prc.-iidciil 
Koiisevflt ), aiiDtlu-r ol'lu-i- and Miss I'lir- 
Ur tlu- sp.u't- that reinaiiu-d. 

riu-ri- was at this tinu- .111 nnnsti.il 
tiitiiiln.-r of bright yoiiii}; wimiuii in tlu- 



\ill.it;i- who lirraiiu- llu- da\ schol.-irs. 
.Mill Miss I'orii-r Inri-d a ii-w rooms in 
oiir III tlu- limiscs on llu- m.-iin street 
.iiid rreei\ed a li.-mdfiil of hoarders. 

I hiis slu- liryaii .'ind de\eloped her 
ho.irdin;^ silinol in lu-r nun distiiu'tiee 
w.-i\ l-roiii the lu-i;iiiiiin,ii an import- 
.1111 fe.iliire was .Miss I'oru-r's re.idin.i; 
.-ilond from l-aii^lisli anlhor.s. Miss Por- 
ter would olieii piiisiu- her studies siile 
li\ side with her pii|iils in the hours 
allolled to sHid>. The earlv .yrowth of 
the SI ho d was slow- -all lliiii.ns moved 

.li>wl\ ill llie forties .iiid liflies. I'.iit 
i-very one of llmsi- earl\ pupils had a 
hirye share of .Miss roller's iiilliieilcc 
.-iiid e;inu- to re;-i;ird her with .111 aflec- 
lioii .-iiid >;rali!iide wliieli words eaniiot 
deserihe. .Mori- and more it e.iiiie to 
he realized how Kri'id and peeiili.ir was 
tlu- advaiit.i.ne wliieh .yirls ij.-iine(l from 
Miss I'orler. It was not mereh tli.it 
tlu-v studied while ill llu- seliool ; no 
doubt tjirls studied as hard iti other 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



191 




'I'll I A M.'h III M si: 




"ID* i 



ly . i^- 







^?' 



nil. ■I'lUlMI'MlX I'lJl -I 




TUK I'-BANCIS COWLES I'LACi;— KNOWN .\S -riM; liUKK llOUSli." 



192 



FAR>riXGTOX. CONNECTICUT, 




MiMdKi \|, s ri hio. 



M-liiiul-,, .\l)si>liik-, inii|n;iliric.l rcspcL-t 
fin- .\li■.^ I'ortcr vva> a ,i;ir.ii iimlrrlving 
f''i''t I 1h-v I.)\c'I 1k-i- I'(m- lli.it interest 
• iihI ^Mii|i.itli, which iirvcr failed, 
(hiliiieii and Ki'andihildnii had heard 
lur prai.sc.s .><oiindeiI. and iimnd when 
lhr\ eaiiie under her inllnenee lh.it the 
h.ilf h.id n.it heen told. 

.Miss I'nrter died, in lier eighty- 
seventh \e.ir. on [•'ebru.arv 17. igoo. Her 
fniur.d. hehl on l''ehruar\ _'i-,t. in the 
hisi.irie.al Congresation.il Chnreli in 
I'arniington. w.is .1 nieninrahle oeeasion. 
I he ample imhenee room .and hroad 
i^.ilKries were eoniplelel\ hhed willt 
the town's peii])le, llie pnpils ul' her 
sehool and uilli t'orniir pn|ids wlio eanie 




ON a'HK STI DIO STKPS 




.\li;Monr\i. T.Mu.i.r i\ sii hid « \i.i.. 



THE VIILAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



193 




I ' . 1 1 1 1 ,> 1 1 I i 1 1 





•^'l^^:-—-. 



SUMMKU llUUSIi. 



"THK SCHOOL HOUSE ox Tiir. hill.' 




Till': ■•iM'iiiMAin . 




rill-; Ml SIC co'ii 



194 



FARMINGTOX, CONNECTICUT, 




\\ iNri.i;i(ii; w iiii: ■■( di.ow 




HUM Mill l,l;\\ IS, 




I I r,i iihi\KS I i,-oM I \\\i sT I 111 ' wins," 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



195 



from many part< of the country to do 
honor to her memory. After an im- 
pressive service conducted by the pastor 
of the rhurcli. l>r. Johnson, the Rev 
.Alexander ^lerriam of Hartfor<l and 
Professor l'"ranl< K. Sanders of Yale, 
her body was Ijorne from the clnirch 
by President Franklin Carter of Wil- 
liams College. Professor William M, 
Sloane of Columbia University. Pro- 
fessor Thomas 1). Seymour of Yale. 
Professor John II. Wright of Harvard. 
Mr W W, I'arnam, formerly treas- 
urer of Yale, and Mr. D. Newton Bar- 
ney of Farmington. She was buried 
in the family lot in the I'^armington 
cemetery. 

The growth and prosperity of Miss 
Porter's School has always been in- 
dicated by its material enlargement 
The luain building. Iiuilt as a hotel, but 
secured by Miss Porter for her school 
before the year 1S50. with its recently 
added library on the south side, ha,- 
always remained the school centre and 
home, but to it were added, as time went 
on. first, the use of the third story of 
Dr. Wheeler's beautiful old home op- 
posite, known to all generations of 
"Farmington girls" as the "Colony," 
then the "Ward house" with its recent 
ample addition, the ■■Thompson house." 
to which, in the last year of her life. 
Miss Porter added its commanding third 
story and the "Francis Cowles house." 
while as this volume goes to ])ress an- 
other house for the school, under its 
present management, is rising upon the 
lot of the old "Judge Rice house." 
Studio and schoolhouse. gymnasium, 
music cottage and infirmary, all. too. 
bear witness to the development of the 
school under the guiding b.md of Mis'; 
Porter. 

.Much as !\Iiss Porter loved her 
school and devoted her life to its wel- 
fare, she was none the less identified 
with the village of Farmington. To her 
no other place could compare with it. 
She was its best citizen, and was ever 
foremost in plans for village improve- 
ment. In this she had the heartv co- 
operation of her pupils, and the village 
has many in>t,-nK-es of her aid in it'- 
development, and of the carrying out 
of her plans by the alumnae and school 
girls. The art building of the school 
on Xew Britain avenue i-< an instance 
of their delight in bringing her wishes 
to fulfillment. It bears a Latin in- 
scription dedicating it to Miss Porter 
and was erected because she desired to 
give a building that would be an orna 
ment to F.irmingloii. The village green, 
(in the line "f the trolley road from 
llartforrl lo Unionville. oi)i)osite the 
Flni Tree Inn, is another of her bene- 
factions to the people of Farmington. in 
which Miss Porter was aided In- her 
pui)ils to accomplish her purpose. Since 



her death it ii.as seemed as though their 
remembrance could not sufficiently ex- 
press itself in lastin.g memorials. The 
beautiful marble eliapel on Main street, 
near the Congregational Church, was 
built by Miss Porter's girls, and dedi- 
cated to her memory. The "Lodge" at 
the southern end of the village, a home 
for working girls, e.slablished ;ind main- 
tained by her pu|)ils, was de.ar to Miss 
Porter's heart. She felt as did Pro- 
fessor Sloane of Cohunbii l.'niversity, 
when he said, ■'there is nowhere in the 
world, a more beautiful scheme than 
Farmington Lodge." It is fitting, there- 
fore, that it should be formally dedi- 
cated to Miss Porter by the placing of 
a memorial tablet therein. b\- her girls, 
the year after her death. 

I hie who knew .Miss Porter well has 
thus summed up that character which 
has left such deep imprint n|ion suc- 
ceeding generations of school girls : "I 
have spoken of Miss Porter's debt to 
her ancestors, aiul I coulil emphasize 
every word which I have said, if neces- 
sary, more strongly. But it is cc|ually 
important to recognize that Miss Por- 
ter became what she was by a wise and 
unintermitted self-culture and training, 
which others mi.ght imitate if they had 
her force of will, her love of her fel- 
lowmen. her sense of the sacredness of 
human life. .\ part of the inspiring 
power of her life seems to me to lie 
in this f;ict th.il she did not imp'ress 
others with a brilliancy and with at- 
tainments bevond the reach of other 
mortals. I know of no one of whom 
Wordsworth's word could more trulv 
be spoken: '.\ creature not too bri.ght 
and good for human nature's dail\ 
food.' There w'as a reasonableness and 
a moderation about her counsel wdiicb 
prevented it from seeming impracticable. 
Miss Porter's activity seemed 
to be w'itholU friction. .She wasted no 
time. Important things were done with 
the -same quickness and ease as little 
things. She seldom spoke of 

being burdened or hurried. Much of 
her work was done in the early morn- 
in.g. .\ picture ri.ses before me of her 
de.spatching a large part of her 
correspondence in the morning before 
breakfast. In the same w.av. she would 
stirlv in the earlv morning hours her 
.\ew Testament in Greek, her Dante 
or whatever she was interested in. 

"Miss Porter's' unusual inHuence upon 
a great variety of pupils was due large- 
Iv to the fact that she had something 
di'^tinctive to give to each one whom 
she met. It was due. in other words, to 
the breadth and dei)th of her own na- 
ture. Her points of contact with peo- 
ple were very numerous. The secret 
of her freshness of mind was her habit 
of making continual additions to her 
own knowledge. Her teaching never 



used up all her energy; she always 
prosecuted her own studies and her 
own reading. No teacher was ever 
more deeply interested in all her pu- 
pils or more truly lived for them. .-\t 
the same time it is equally true that 
she fed the springs of her own life 
from sources outside the school. . 

"One reason why Miss Porter's 
words had so much w^eight was that 
she never exaggerated and rarely found 
fault. Mer criticisms were construc- 
tive, helpful, suggestive. She .showed 
■ what one hiight do that was better than 
what one had done, and took it for 
granted th.it what she suggested would 
be accepted. . . . She refused to take 
discouraged or discouraging views in 
regard to human nature, in regard to 
public men. and in regard to public af- 
fairs. She lulieved the best things of 
those who were her pupils. Tin- more 
complicated the responsibility whicli 
wealth and sf>eial connections w-ere cer- 
tain to bring to her pupils in after 
years, the more important she felt i 
to be that she should awaken them 
while in her care, to true intellectual 
ellort, to self-direction, to a sense of 
responsrbility for others, to the great 
idea of service; and she was successful 
in so awakening them. The roots of 
her cheerfulness lay deeper than tem- 
perament and education. Tliere are 
passages in her journal which record 
her meditations about prayer, about the 
relation to the soul to God, and which 
reveal the sources from which she 
drew tiie inspiration of her effort for 
others." 



liy Josephine Canning. 



(Hi, don't vou remember the schoolhouse 
red 
\\ liich stood far back on the hill. 
And the great oak tree which lifted its 
head 
Close by? It stands there still. 
You learned addition in that old place, 

,And the use of verb and noun ; 
They have earned you much in life's 
hard race — 
Give some to the dear old town! 

You h.ive wandered far from the 
hearthstone gray 
Where your infant feet first trod. 
You have walked in many a devious 
way. 
But vou worship your father's God 
For you'll never forget the le^-' h- 
taught. 
When at night you all knelt down 
In the home that \ou hold with the 
tenderest thought, 
111 your own old native town. 

.Mil go when the summer solstice burn-i. 

.\nd vour citv home is hot, 
G.I look where the winding river turns 

In the green old meadow lot. 
Then ask the peoi>le what it neeils. 

.•\nd count it life's best crown 
To build it up with filial deeds. 

\'our own dear native town! 
— F'roin Cyllinsville Record. Julv 1.^. 
lyof'. 



196 



FAR!\[INGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




I'lisiNc [■■(ii: ■■i\iciri'iii;ii 





i,\i Miin loi; MLss I'uuTKir.s s( iiooi. 

I'OHMKIIl.V TlIK "I'llOKNlX."' 



■niMi AiKiiMi \ i;iisi:\ 




\ i.KiM !■ oi III, II i..ii;i,>,. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



197 













MRS. R. M. STn.\RT, XEP 
Hehitia M. Ilnlrl, 
MRS. nOKATIO «' KfNC. nkk 
Esther .1. Ihiiiatil 
MRS. CHAIiLKS SKDOWICK. nkk 
MiircUl Ffutfiu (Drrcasrtll. 
MISS .\NVIK P. ROi)M.\\ (Dcrin.siil). 
-VUTHCR KOIil.NSON', SEE 
Jeitnie Porter. 

MISS ANNIE KENT. 

.\1I!S. <IIAUl,i;S II. llM.liW IN. N 
KliZHl>illi iiutij Mr.Miiilhi. 
MRS. W.M. P. ROBESON, SEE 
(jrarc Unit. 

PHOTOCRAIMI T\M;N AT Till; r<)l,()\V AlilllT lsr;:i. 



198 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 



Urainino 2)a^. 



^ 



n WW ^■>•:l^^ .vjo rv.-rv al.lr 

^•'V liiidiril man in tnwii. nf suil- 

^^ W alilr :i,HL-. was rc<|nirri| l>\ law 

In present hiniselt miee eaeli 

\ear on Iraiiiinu 'la\. anneil 

mil ei|ni|ilie.l a^ llie law direels 

1 le was I" I'e ^nlljeel tn llle lllvpec- 

tinn aii'l eomnianiU nf tlial niaunilieent 
|ier-.oii, the iiain liau'l I'aplaiu 1 lie 

tnwii li(ia-.U-il III Iwii eiiiniiaiiies nl 
iiiiliUa. line llie ( '.reiiailier-. uilli eleijanl 
lllllimin-.. lillK- rnaN laeeil uilll while, 
wliile linnser^, anil koinaii lielineN 
siiriiinnnleil wilh waMii;.; while phinies. 
—a selei-l hoil\ ..f men wliiise niinj- 



aira\i-il in aorscnuv iinilcinii;. Tlie 
rank anil lile, with an occasional levl 
anil hlaek nniform repres 'iitiiiu the 
jiast rIdi'.v of the coiiijian.', wei" 
drawn n]i in a single line ulnen reatlu il 
t'riini llle store hearing Ji.' ne a'K 
]iaiiile.l sit;n of Win (lay and ' 'o,, eait- 
waril ne,irl>' nr quite to Whilniaii's 
la\ern Some had nm^kc-ts with 

ha\oiiel>. and some w ithoii' S.inii 

carried fowlint^ puce^ ^n' an ihiiiLj 
from whiidi pnuder eoiild he tired 
Tile iiiher-. were armed and eipiip|ieil 
wilh whip stocks, iniihrell.iv, or with 
amlhin.g with which lhe\ coiild ciriw 
out tlu- order to "shonlder arms." 
I he fa\orite comin.iinK were "make 
reaiK." "lake a.iiii and lire." at the 



latter of which the .ynns het;an to go off 
like a rattling long-draw ii-oiil pe.al of 
thunder 1 his tlonc- iIk' Coni]ian\* 

was marcheil off to other groiiiul to 
repeat their exercises as long .as the 
twehe rounds of .•immnnitioii lasted. 
1 he whole ri'si-mhU'd a modern I'lilirth 
of Jnly. hnt was \'aslly more amusing, 
less dangerous, and less annoying 
"Trainin.g Day" was. or rather had 
hci-n, one of the three .gia-at da\s of 
the \ear in Xew I'.ngland. sharing with 
h.lection Day. and lhanksgi\ing Day. 
the enjoyments that came seldom, and 
were all the more enjoyed. — Jui.If.s 
G.w. in r-armin'^ii<\i Mi\'^az\nc. July, 
igoi. 




•■(;ui;\ \iiit:i:" ii \\' 

hers were consl.anllx' dinniiishiiig .as 
ihe .ancieiil inililar'. glor\ of Ihe lowai 
drc.-oed I lie ollu'r eoiiip.in\ com- 

prised .all oihers who were liahle In 
mililar>- dn1\ .ind was legalK kin.xMi 
,,s llu- I'irsi ('oinpaii\ of ihe hoiir 
leeiilh Kegiineiil of Inf.iiilrv hill |iopii- 
l.arK- as tli.' "hiishwliackers," ( Ine of 
llu- old nnlil.ire nrders has eoine down 
lo Us wilh lis Wood eiil of ll.igs, diiims, 
leiils. .and oiher del.iils of the in. nip 
.and circumsl.ances of war. and the fol- 
lowing older; 

'■ \iieiilioii I h'irsl Coiiip.niN , hour ■ 
l.elllh Uegimelll. Illfalltl\, lo either 

,.f the noil eomiiiissioned ollieers ; N on 
;ire henln appoinled lo gi\ e legal warn- 
ing lo .ill the menihers of said Com 
p.any lo appe.ir i.ii parade .il lac usual 
pl.ice. on \loiid,i\. ihe In-sl d.o of Ma\ 
nrxl, at o o'lloi-k \ .\1. armed and 
,, pupped as ihe l.aw direils, lor (oiii 
|ian\ iiis|ieilioii .anil e\ereise l.l't 11 .S 
S ( 'I )\\'1,1'-S. Ciil'hnii {'oniiii.niiliir^. 
d.il.d ,il h'.irniinglon. this ijlli .|a\ of 
,\ptil, i,V|; \lsi, are reipu'sled to 

Inrnish i -' Konnds lil.ink carlridges" 

1 his last speciliealioii concerning 
powdi-r w.as the thing of prime iin 
liorlaiice .as will preseiilK .ip|n-.ar, 1 
reiiieinh.i with great dislinclness llle 
eveiils of this peenli.ar milil.irv dis 
plav .iliuost. if not cjiiile llie last lliil 
took place in our sireels l.iiciiis 
Cowles w.as I'aplaiu. and I'rederick 
Cowles was his laeiiteiiant. liolh were 




••MKi;i i\i: iiorsf. si,irMii"' AUoi'T issu. 




w (11.11 ■■ 1 1: \\ I i.i\i. loMcwioN ri.'oriai I ^ oi \ii; ii \i (owi.i.s. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



199 



fe^^^ 


Elm XIree lliin. 

By Hugh L. Whits 





Cnlonial law ordered each town to 
provide one sufficient inliabitanl lo keep 
an ordinary for the occasional enter- 
tainment of strangers in a comfortable 
manner, and Joseph Root, of the vil- 
lage of Farmington. was appointed hy 
the town to attend to this duty. 

In 1691 an inn with its swinging sign, 
ofifering entertainment fur man and 
beast, may have existed. It is well 
known that whenever the house was 
built, — about 1700 — it stood on the 
northeast corner of High street and 
New Britain avenue; faced south and 
was for many years the tavern of Cap- 
tain Joseph Porter. 

From an extract from "l-'armington 
Two' Hundred Years .-\go," by Julius 
Gay, he says : "I have the tavern sign, 
which bears a picture of a house on 
one side and on the reverse side that 
of a goddess, armed with helmet, spear 
and shield, in apparel better befitting 
the heat of summer than the blasts of 
winter. She was doubtless the first 
goddess to bear on her shield the three 
grapevines of Connecticut." 

While this inn is of great historical 
importance, what is it in comparison 
with the Elm Tree Inn, with its modest 
swinging sign, so old that the paintings 
are almost obliterated on both sides 
by exposure tn the weather. 

This inn, ow-ned and conducted by ilr. 
J. B. Ryan, a most genial host, who, 
together with his amiable wife are al- 
ways looking after the welfare and com- 
fort of their patrons, is about ten miles 
from Hartford by trol]e\- cars. It is 
beautifully located on higli gronnil. in 
a pretty, spacious park of large elm, 
maple and other varieties of trees and 
rare shrubbery, overlooking the main 
road and town park directly op|iosite. 
The foliage and beds of choice flower.s 
surrounding the premises of many 
acres, lending a most enchanting scene ; 
the patron has every opportunity to 
breathe the purest countr\ air. 

Even some of the oldest elm trees 
have a history to themselves, well 
worth knowing. 

General Washington, during the rev- 
olutionary war, passed through Farm- 
ington on his way to meet General 
Lafayette. The following extract from 




.T. B. i!v.\N. i>i;oi'i;iF,Toi! oi' Tin: ki.m ti!i:k inn. 



page 18. "Old Houses in Farnungton." 
by Julius Gay. says : "We will h.ilt un- 
der the big elm which overh.angs tin- 
little house where Manin Curtis spent 
his life, long enough to say that his 
father Slyvanus Curtis, in company 
with Phineas Lewis, in I7'i-', the year 
when Sylvanus was married, brou.ghl 
home, from a swamp, three elm trees. 
One was planted back of the Elm 
Tree Inn. one in front of the housi' of 
Mr. Curtis, and the third f.iiled lo Wvr. 
The enormous slum]) of the tree. 
al)Out fifteen feet high, is covered each 
yc-ar with morning glories and is a 
pietures(|ue and inli'resting sight to 
visitors. The other still living and in 
a <'ood state of preservation, stands di- 
rectly opposite I he jiremises. 

Froiu "Early Conneciicui Houses." 
by Isham and Brown ; 

•i'"ew visitors to the Elm Tree Inn 
at Farmington are aware that a house 
of about 1660 is concealed at tiie cen- 



tre of the ma.ss of buildings which form 
the present hostelry. At the end of 
the long hall which runs back from the 
entrance we come upon the stairs — of 
comparatively m.KUrn dale — just in 
front of which runs a passage at right 
angles to the entrance hall. These 
-t.Lir- occupy exactly the place of those 
in the ancient hou.se. The present 
smoking room is the original hall as 
tlu- simmier ovel-hcad and the oven. 
pr.>li.ibl> liuill into .an older lireplace, 
proebrm. 

"The ]iarlor is now absorbed in the 
dining room of the inn, but the sum- 
mer still traverses a part of the ceil- 
ing of liie new room. As you stand in 
the passage at the front of the stairs, 
you will see above you, with its solht 
llush with the rest of the ceiling, the 
ancient overhang which sliow.s even the 
edges of the bottoiu board of the sec- 
ond story front. 

"There is also an end overhang as 



200 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT. 




■■Tin: i;i.M 'I'lti:!; i\\ i i:(i\i riii; ik(i\'i 




-rill. i.i.M I i.'i I I 







I'li(il(i!>r;i|)li of two 1>lui' and wiiitf 
I'llip MiiLjs that will- nsoil at ihr I'^liii 
I ric Inn li> Mr. Si-lh l.rwi^. wlu-n Ik- 
was pnipru-tin'. Now nwncii by lii^ 
Hranddaiiglitrr. Miss Callicrinc 1.. Dcni- 
ing. Tin- design on tlic- mugs shows 
the Dnku of Wclhngton on his horse. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



201 



the plan sliows. whicli can be seen on 
the outside of the present smoking 
room. It is small, however, and there 
are no liraekefs now remaining under 
it. 

"Who liuilt the house we do not 
know. It may have been Captain Wil- 
liam Lewis, whose son. also n.amed 
William Lewis, one of the schoolmaster.^ 
of Farmington, undoulitedlx- lived here 
in 1704. It belongs soiuewiiere .about 
1660." 

Many persons unacquainled with this 
famous hostelry suppose it is merely 
a summer resort where occasional 
clam bakes and sheep roast are given 
by the proprietor for the benefit of his 
patrons and invited guests. This is tar 



from the f.act. .Many ])erm,inent board- 
ers live here during the summer and 
winter months. While there mav be 
more g.ivety during the sunnner anrl 
autumn montiis. yet in the winter the 
inn is a great resort fm- sleighing par- 
ties. 

I he |ierm.inent bo.irders ;ire a genial 
family liy themselvcji. During the crisp, 
cold nights the ladies can be seen in 
ihe iilil rooms alread) mentioned, 
around llu- bla/ing log lires where hang 
the original cranes, with jiols, kettles, 
etc., amusing themselves in v.arious 
ways. 

In the main olfice around .mother 
log fire are the men, boarders mingled 
with the villagers, discussing topics of 



the times and gossiping generally. 

Many people of prominence from dif- 
ferent states visit the inn at intervals. 
.Many parents, who have daughters at 
.Miss Porter's well-known school for 
xiiung ladies, make the iiui their head- 
(piarters for longer or shorter lieriods 
during the year. 

Many graduates return to the town, 
some who left twenty or more years 
ago. They come to .see the old place 
and renew old association. They also 
enjoy the inn. 

From all that has been said about 
the Elm Tree Inn it only goes to show 
that it is of the greatest historical in- 
terest as well as popular resort most 
excellently kept and managed. 




i\ I'liK DiNiNc liooM At I'ln; t:i.\i TUKt; i\\ 




SI \ KOoM XI Tilt; EL.M Till;!: INN, 



202 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



Evtracts from a ni>anu8cript Ibistor^ of jfanninoton 

1B^ Samuel IRicharbs, 



THE FIRST POSTMASTER. 



TlinniHli the rMiiiic.\- r\liiiiU-il |p\ 
tilt' ('niiiuTliriU I I r,|.iiir.il SiKii-l\, \vr 
|)^ll)li^ll till- .irriini|i.in\ iiii; cNti.'u-I-. Inim 
a iiianii-.rri|il hi^l'M'\ mI I'arniiiiijli hi. 
t'nmuHiu 111, uriilcii li\ Mr. .SaiiuK-l 
RichanK. aluiiil hid \r.irs a!.;ii. Mr. 
Ricli;ii-(ls' K-iUi- III Mr |..liii llimkri- 
(■( inrcniiiiL^ llir in.i!in^rri|ii i-. priiili-.! 
lK*re\\itIi 

Wilkrv l'..irrr. I';i . \ii,u j;, iS;,n. 

.Mr John llnnkrr. 

Dear Sir; — l'i\ l!ir lir.irrr I snul 
Villi .a in.aniiM-n|il i i ini.iniiiv^ all llu' 
infiiriii.il ii III I r III liiiil. in llu- |iiiiiil^ 
Mill n.-i|iir^lrii ..!' iiic I ^cml il \'iii 
tlius carlw kihiuiii'4 "ilk' Iniic nf my 
(Ifliarliirc is .il li.inil " I |ir.i\- \iiii In 
liav llic' iiainr, nf llu- (HiL^iii.il |irn|irii-- 
tiirs riiurni al llic nhl. wiuaa' I lia\i- 

riiK-il llu- sii'4'_;r-.i I li.m- iii.ulc .il 

the cUl^ll■ i'. Ill raiiii-sl ik-siia- 

Within).; \.iii li,i|i|iiinv, in ihis wnihi 
ami thr u.irlil l.i r.iiiir — .mil «i|li .if- 
fi-ctiiin ill- ri';;.ii i|, |m h.,ili V ,iir ]. iia in-,. 
I am. 

Dr Sir. 
N'iiiir ( )hl Si rt., 

.Sx.MIII. Rll II.XKIIS, 

J lu- "siii^i^i'.-ilii'ii III III,- t-iid" rrl'i-rrnl 
tn h\ .Mr, Kii'h.iril-. in llu- |ini iiliiiu 
li-lli r 
To M r. jiiliii I loi iki-r I it lMriiiiii;^lciii. 

I III- ^llhilllllc•ll ,ki-lrlu--, urn- ncra 
siiiiiall\ ciiUri-i| III ihi^ kinil nf rnmmnii 

pku'C hnnk. Ullhnlll .|ll\ r \ j HC 1 a 1 in| 1 nf 

tik-ir luiiiLi iiiihh^liril III lac M-ar 17X11 

I W.ls .l|l|inllll,-,l rk-lk nf ihr l.\< nf 

alU'ii-lll prn|iri(-|nr', nf lIlc tnuil, ullk-|l 
K-ii Ilk- In .-lllrmill III rnlk-rl ullll nf 

llkir anrii-iil rc-iniils I rniihl, riiiihiii; 
lln-iii in a M-.-illi-rnl silii.ilinii I hrnii'^hi 

tllnsi I fnlinij Inl^l-llk r .liul snnll lli-'_:.in 

In inakr r\l|-.-u-K, liiiilnr.' llu- .irrniiiil nf 
llu- lir^l Iransarlinii \i-r\ nliM-iin- I 

r.-lllnl .11 llu- .iIIk-,- nf Cnl Cl-nrKI 

\\'yll\s .-11 I l.-ii-tfn|-il. kiinunu; lli.il llu- 
n.-i-n|-iK nf llarlfnnl h.iil lu-i-ii prt-M-i'M-il 
in tlk- \\\ll\s' faiinl\ finm il-> lirsl -irt- 
tlc-nu-nt. I Inn- I s.iw .1 na-nnl liiink 
lcllc-ri-(l nil llu- link ll.irlfnrck \\'inil 
sor, W'l lIu-i-ruM (In c-N.imin.ilinn I 
coulil liiul lull link- nf k'armin,L;lnii. 
vvliicli milsl li.ivi- bc-rn laiiHidcri-il Inr 
soiiK' link- an .-ipiii-iiil.-it;i- nf llarlfnnl; 
one vote mi llu- Ikiilfnnl rnnnl al- 



lr.kti--il ni\- .ith-ntiiin — viz. — "Mr .Su-rle 
is appninli-il In ki-i-ii tlu- n-riinls nf 
k";irmin'4tnii niitill llu- Inun sii.ill li-i\-e 
.1 llMll i|ll;illiu-il Inr s.iiil ilnt\ 

I cnminil lliis tn wiiir c;irr. iniisiiK-r- 
iiiK it a relic nr kiiul nf licir lnniii In 

llcM-l'lul In n\\ snil .Mill hi- MlCCCssnrs. 
Uilh llu- IllJllllCllnll Ih'l /.I /.'//(/ 1 sinll 

ilircct him tn c:ill nii -.nii fnr il snmi. 
;iflrr the cninplelinn i<i llu- \-i-ar lS|-i. 
tnislini; in ymir frieiiiKlii]! ;iiul lulelity 
In li;i\c it in s:ife keeping uiilill he calls 
fnr il 

With fei-linsjs nf frieiulsliip .-iiiil re- 
sile. I. 

S.\M 111 Km II \uiis. 

.\iil;iis1, iX,;S. 

I''xlr;u-ls frniii Mr, Sainiu-I KieluirU' 
" I'tiriiiilii^litii III i liiiiiril iiiil " 

Hinni'iliirirs — Ivist — fi\r miles f.nm 
lai- ;4ri-;it ri\-.-,- ri\i- mik-, N'mili nf 
n ,1111.1 hill :inil l.ii iiiik-s Sniiili nf s ri I 
riiriul hill '■ 

'r;ileiit fnr l''-irai!ii,L;lnn nii imvn r-c- 
i;r 1-. Ii..iik nil, pme i=,(i- \ 1) i(>\--. 

'I ke s -tlk-melll III- .1 e;ill,- I / nil V::y. li ■ 
irn III llu- I I anil 1 \ inliatiile.l h , ni iii- 
ili III Irilie nf |h:il iriiik- 

1 lu- pilnil w.is nliLiineil frniii llu- 
ueik-ial .1 ^eiiiliK lu ;i i-nniii;in\ cniisisi- 
iny nf H^ prnpru-lnis. heiiiL; in pirl llie 
iiu-ii wlin e;inie aernss llu- \\ ikkrik-ss m 

KiM .^ U llll llu- Kl-M-M .\lr I Innkei . .Iiul 
were |irnli;ilil\ snllU- nf lllnse uiln knuleil 

Il I'Kniniilh, .\'n\ eiiiher. Kiju. & 111 
p;i|-| their sntis. 

Ascirh :is iiijnii ;i|ipe;irs llnl :i mini 
li.i- hail cniiie frniii I kirl fnni .mil Iii-l:;iii 
;i sclllemelll ;il tills pi. I.e. lull llle pit 
eiil In llu- iriiiu- <>\ i'.irmiiii^lnii w ;is 
iklleil ill I'iks. -l"!' enlllempkileil llu- 
1-sl iiki inn nf llll- iiiih.in ink- h. pnr 
elu-ise 

In llu- \i-ii- Ki.sii a i.nri-luise u;is 111 iile 
nf llu- rhii-fs nf lae "kiiiis;is Irihe. h,. 

llll- s ml ,X| pinpik-lnrs i>\ ;ill llu- klllil . 

ineliuk-il III ilk- p;ileiil fmiii llu- i;eiier.il 
:issemlil\ enimiiiii; frnm llie mnikl hill, 
III eslellil ,! miles l-'.asl. Wesl eli,;lll 
miles, Xnrlli liM- mik-s, Sniilli u-n mile., 
Mtlinimli r.ie piircliase ilescrilied 1 .^ 
In I I miles, yet liy siibseijlienl periiii- 
liiikiliniis frniii llle niniiimienl - ;itli\eil, 
il was fniiiul tn lie \ery ne:ir Hi li\ I-' 
miles. 



1 lie snil 111 llu- kiikl in llle Inwii is 
\er> \';iriiiiis. llu- iiinimt;iiii seem- enm- 
pnseil |iniieip:ill\ nf ruck nf llie lilue 
nr ,!.;reeiisiniu- kinil. the fninukilinn nf 
which Is :i n-il slu-lli mck. 1 he suiii- 
iiiil nf llu- mnmiLiiii is ciivereil with 
siinie shnililn- naks, cedars .-iiul spruce. 

I he ileclniu nil llle e.-ist is well tim- 
lien-d. :ini| fmin the- li.ise eastward is 
priiicip;ill\ p;isinr;i;_;e. iiuich incuiiiliered 
with nick and simu-s. The -nil is ijnnd 
lull li;ird. nf red .gravel .iiid ,1 sneill 
iiuMiirc nf cl.iy .iiid In.mi 
-\liniii h ilf ;i mile frniu llu- ri\-er and 
in llu- me;idiiw- sLaiids the Kniiiul llill. 
ele\aleil :ilinnl lliirn nr fnrty feet. prett\- 
steep ; i meriiu,; :iliniit fniir nr five :icres 
nf kiiiil. llu- Ini, le\-el. ■riieiiijjh called 
in, Iiul. ili.il lieiiii; its .general appear- 
;iike In llle e>e. the nnri'iwcsi p;irl is 
sniiuilim.u we.l,i;e-like, .\s this kirge 
Ikil is imercl with water al times nf 

frediels. .-md ;i c insider:ilile current, 
il li.-is prnliilil\ hi-eii wnni iiiln th;it 
sli :|ie lu tlu- pre. sine nf the w-;iler, 

iM-niii llu- wesl side nf lliis Ikii to 
ill- iiMiiiiliiin il is w ,111 je.l. w illi sneill 
hills, which eniii.iin, wherever npeiiin.gs 
lia\e Ill-en iiridc. red free-stniie. The 
inresi iii-i-s ;ii-e white. vvi\ and \-ellnw 
nak. cliesinni. w;iliiiil nr hicknrv, and 
nil llll- iiiirlhwesi pari \ellnw )iiiii-. 1 lie 
pii i,iiii-l iniis ;ii-e siieli .IS art.- cninmnii 
In .New I' ii,i;l.iiid. iiidi;in enrii. rM-. nats, 
ll;i\, ;illd sniiie \\lu-;il Tlle 

iii-cluinU :iri- ,iliiiiukiiil, hill ihe i|ii:ilil\ 
nf llle frnil li:is mil ln-eii well selected 
hilheiln, hill 1, gaining, llle 1) id\- of 
ihe In-.Mi ;is 11 liu-els the eve nf tile 
lr;i\elli-i-. Ill ;ipprn;icliiiig il llinuigli llie 
easi nr west moniUain, presents a very 
piciiin sipie .-Mid pleasing appearance. 

llle lle;iliu-ss ,if hnllsc ;inil inelnsiiies ; 
llu- riihik-ss nf ilk- s.iil and llle ;ip|H-:ii-- 
aiice nf gnn I riill i \ :i 1 il 111 :iiid gener.il 
llirifl In llu- lirsl snciel\ nr 

111 I ■|n«ll lilnll.' In wllicll lllcsc- llnlices 

will he |irinci|i:ill\ cniiliiied — lliere are 
eiglil nierch.-ints' ,linps. wliieli to.gether 
Irule In r.k- :iiiiniiiil ni peril ips eiglily 
lliiiiis:ind diilkiis aiiiuiall\. 

1 lu-rc are gnml meclKinics in e.ich 
liranili siiriicienl to supply the inlialiit- 
aiiis; lull link- iii;iniif;ictnring except in 
the f:iiiiiK i'V ilninestic wav.* 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



203 



*Now iK-;ui\- a coiitury after these 
notes were uritteii liy Mr. Richards, 
there is only one ni.inufactiiring" con- 
cern in the village. Mr. H, C. Rice 
at the "Cedars" carries on the niaiui 
facturing of a patent calf wrtiiwr or 
niuzzel, for vviiich he hnds a ready 
sale. — Editor. 

The average nunihcr of 
deaths annu.ally for tlie last thirty years 
has been about 30. which will be seen 
is one in a little over 60 and is a proof 
of the healthiness of the place, the air 
being very pure and water perfectly 
clear, fresh and good. .\ considerable 
quanity of grain, beef, pork, butter and 
cheese are carried to market and 
sold. . . . 

The buildings are all of wood, hither- 
to, except half a dozen of brick, but the 
time must soon come when brick and 
stone must he the principal m:tteriaU 
for building. . . . 

Until about half a century ago abund- 
ance of shad and sahnun were taken 
in the ri\er in the center iif the town, 
but now very few if any. But the rixer 
and small streams are well stored with 
small fish for angling. . . . 

The meadows were found to be -.o 
easy of cultivation that the inhabit.ants 
until very latelx conhned their labor 
almost e.\clusivel.\ to them; but lately 
having turned their attention tn the 
uplands, they Inid tlieniseKe^ .imply re 
warded, those lamK being cleared and 
well pulverized and mederately ma- 
nured yield good crops in quantity and 
of excellent quality. . . . 

The roads or highways were in a 
very squallid and bad situation until 
since the revolutionary war, in^tead of 
being "cast uii" they were gullied down 
by the water running in the center. They 
are now kept in tolerable condition, the 
turnpike system having operated favor- 
ably in the repairs of the roads gen- 
erally. 

The bridges are generally of a poor 
quality. The ones over small streams 
are indeed miserable. There are two 
over the main river of about i.?o feet 
long of timl)er, one laid on stone abutt- 
ments and piers and is tolerably con- 
venient ; the other is ])Oorer. The OHe 
cost $1,500, the other about $800. It is 
much to he desiri-il t.i.tt these import- 
ant parts of roads should be conslrueird 
on a better plan. . . . 

The Indian n.atives must have been 
very numerous in ;ind around this set- 
tlement, when the whites came on . . . 
When 1 first become accpiainted here 
the number was about 100, this w.as in 
the year 1763. ... In I'Qi :i '""i"- 
mittee was chosen by the town to 
designate houses to be fortilied, so as 
to defend against tiiein. I reme.mhei- 
three houses which were thus fortihed. 
The doors were double plank, and nails 



drove closely together in them, the 
windows high and small. At a meeting 
March, 1704, seven houses were named 
to be fortified against the Indians, viz., 
beginning Xorth, Thomas Orton's, Wil- 
liam Lewis, llowkins Hart James Wads- 
worth, Jahn Hart, Samuel Wadsworth. 
The revolulion.iry war which 
conunenced in 1775 .ind ended in 
17S3, secmeil very nmch to change 
the state of society ; vices of al- 
most every kind appeared to have 
arisen towards a state of luaturity 
far beyond what a sober Christian or 
even a philosophiT would re.idily adnfil. 
without strong demonstration. The ef- 
fects of a depreciating paper currency, 
the intercourse with the depraved of 
the British army, as prisoners and other- 
wise, so many of the youth serving for 
seven years in the army, an illicit trade 
uith Xew York to some extent, . . . 
resulted in showing a i)eople very dif- 
ferent from what thev were half a 
i-enlin-\ before. lla\ing gained the 
p lint contended f(ir in the revolution- 
ar\- struggle, the i)eople showed signs 
of impatience under the government, 
and almost every one thought himself 
i.qiable of governing. . . . .Advance 
in refinement has produced its good as 
well as its evils; the grosser vices are 
in a good degree banished from the 
better part of societv. Profauitx and 
intemperance are anmng the number; 
.•ind espcciallv imjiroper intercourse be- 
tween the sexes; liberties which were 
I. lien and admitted as in some manner 
nf course, would now !).■ spurned b' 
the ladies. No allusion is here intendeil 
l<> what is viewed dirertlv criminal, hut 
to those levities which a comparative 
niile state of society sanctiims, and a 
more refined state has corrected. . . 
Ti\c spotted fever raged extensively in 
the village in the years 1808 and 180Q. 
About 30 died of it in 1808 besides .30 
of other diseases. In 1809, 3i died of 
it besides 30 of other diseases. It at- 
tacked those in \outh and middle age 
principally, and proved f:ital in 2. 3. or 
,| day.s. It did not ;ippear verv con- 
tagions, though in some instances it 
conld be pntl\ fairK traced to the 
patient of whom it was taken. .-\ stim- 
ulating course of i.rarlirr was pursued 
Ii. the phvsicians; bleeding was avoided. 
In a number of cases as soon as the 
patient was attacked, the wdiole system 
pppe.Tred corrupted, and dissolution en- 
sued in a few hours. . . . 

HO;!Sn OF INIK'.STKV O-i l>F.NMTRNTI.M(V, 

iai;.\K IN |8_'4. 
This l.ieing so important an object 
that it deserves a partienlar notice. Its 
location was fixed, after long ami ma- 
ture enqilir\ .and consideration, at the 
northern end of the great meadow, dis- 
tant a little more than a mile from any 
other house in the village. The first 



ptirchasc comprized a mansion house, 
two baru.s, and 67 acres of land all in 
the great meadow, and under g(X)(l cul- 
tivation, since which a purchase has been 
made of 21 acres of wood land at a 
distance of three-quarters of a mile. 
Its superintendence is committed to 
the care of nine overseers, who appoint 
a manager wdio conducts its internal 
concerns in general conformity with a 
set of bye laws planned for its govern- 
ment. Another building has since been 
added to the establishment for work 
shops, where is manufactured a great 
|iart of the clothing and articles of use 
for the inmates ; the number of which 
has varied from 18 to 24. In the base- 
ment story of this building, which is 
of strong stone masonry, arc three sep- 
arate cells for the conllnement of the 
refractory. The utility of this establish- 
ment can hardly be appreciated without 
actual observation and comparison with 
the former customary way of sujjport- 
ing the poor. . . . 

mini-;k.m.oi;v. 

J'rrhiiitc. — On the east mountain, 
which belongs to the trap ranges of 
Connecticut, two miles north of the 
meeting house, and against the house 
of James Andrus, prehnite is found 
in such abundance that waggon loads 
might be collected. I he momUain here 
is preciptous, and large masses are con- 
linu.dl> detached bv the inllueuce of the 
weather, forming a mass of ruins be- 
low. The prehnite may be seen in al- 
most every crevice of the rock, forming 
as it were the cement b,- which the whole 
is bound together. lUit it is more easily 
obtained and in greater abundance 
among the debris b.dow, ['".very vari- 
ety of this mineral described by min- 
eralogists may be found here, and of 
all the varieties specimens may be se- 
lected of uncouunon beauty. 

Sul/'litilr ' of baryta: — This mineral 
does not occur in any quantity. .\t the 
lirelniite locality there are evident marks 
of it. ... 

lloniltlrnitf. — .\t the s.ame loc.alitv 1 
have found one specimen of cryslalli/ed 
horirhlende. 

Clialcrdony. — This is foinid in the 
tr,ip of the mountain in many places. 

. /.yd/c. — Very fine agates are found 
three miles from the meeting house on 
the old road to Hartford, . , , The 
.ig.ite.^ .ire from the size of a butter- 
nut rlounwards. They receive 
an excpiisite polish and would doubt 
less be very highly esteenioil by lapi- 
daries. . . . 

Coffer. — Several years since a piece 
of n:itive copper w;is found in a brook 
bevond Janles Audreiis' house. It must 
h.ive been of considerable size from this 
1 ircumstance— Mr. .Andrus sent it to 
Mr. Sillimau for inlormalion. he ham- 
mere 1 it IV, 1 into ,1 bar, and returned 



204 



FARMINGTON. CONNECTICUT, 



it. ,111(1 Mr Anilni^ used it in liis shop 
:is Ik- liad circasinn, 

Siil/'huirl of id/'l^rr i> foiiiiil fnnrniiUs 
niirllic.i--t of t'lU' iiK-L-tiiiH housL- mi land 
of MiiM-,^ (ioodinan. I lierc- i^ an rx- 
cavalion made lix' the fatlu-r of tlu- pn-^- 
L-nt gi-iKTation, ulio Mipposini; that he 
liad foniid gold, sent olT a i|iiaiilily to 
l-higland. and .is thi'\ iu-mt heard of 
it again idiKlndcil th.al <; (•(uiidii of it 
was gohl. . One mile sontli of 

Talcott .\h)nntain tnnipikr. tluiL- .in 
two old sh.afls fornuTl\ sunk .mil 
worUc-d h_\' Col. Partridge ;ind others; 
the largest shaft is called, in tlie ree- 
oi(N. Xr-iiU'll Miiir. These mines were 
piodiicti\e and would ha\e heen ])rolit- 
ahle hnt for the rlifiienlt\ of relinini; ,it 
th.it period. ( )ne Samnel I'.ird ni.ide 
copper coins from this copper, which 
were .afterwards honght np with .i\iili- 
ty. heiiig fonnil to cont.iin a small por- 
tion of gold.* , . . 

Mcilliiclic o.viili- of iron — 'I his miner.il 
lias heen disco\ereil h\ .Mr Joel 
lieeeher. who i an not ,is \ et he per- 
suaded to di.-.close the locality. It oc- 
cnis in nodules the si/e of a w.ilimt 
and Larger, imhedded in red feld-.|i.ir, 
1 .-.llouUl call ihein cr\^l.ils were there 
not such a ili\ersit\ in their form, . 

'The fact that the\ cont.iined gold 
rests on tradition. The rmeiies^ uf the 
copper prohahly g.i\e them tiiiir value. 
l-iu-tiil i\iilum,il,- iif ///»i- — This is 
fi.mid on the l.ind of 1 Inr.ice Cowles. 
6o rods east of the meeting house. 
Rounded masses .is large .is .i in.in's 
head .are turned n]i li> the jiloughs. '1 his 
led til the siipposiiK.n tli.it there w.is 
a hed of the -..iine helow. which was 
conlirmed In the f.icl that an iron har 
t.iriisi down n. the depth of tw.i or three 
feet in an\ li.irl ..f the lield. struck on 
a solid rock. ( )ii digging. liowe\er. the 
rock was found to he gn'eii stone. 1 he 
masses of limestune appear as if worn 
h\ w.iter. and when hrokeii emit a \ery 
ol'feiisive siiiell. What is their origin 
rein.iiiis a ipiestion 

(Jiiai'l::- — V'er\ li.ainlsome specimens 
(if cr\stah/ed (piart/ li;i\c heen fmuid 
at the ( iiii still hall .i iiiile smiili uf the 
meeting house, .Most ,if these ;ire well 
c'.iar.actcrizcd anieth>sts. I he coiunioii 
limpid crystals occur in iiiaii,\ other 
places. 

l.iHiilslniir. .\ colored ni.iii hroiight 
a specimen uf luadstniie to Juel lieeeher 
•and said he fduinl it mi the inoinilaiii 
e.ast of I'^zckiel Cowles, 1 he specimen 
was a four-sided prisoin, i i -• inches 
long, .and i-_' inch in di.imeter. Its al- 
tr.icti\'e pdwar was \-cr\ gre.it, 

/'liiiiil'ir^i'. --- ;\ specimen of I'liini- 
hago W.IS shown me h\ Solomon Whit- 
man who s.iid he foniid it mi his i>low 
land opposite .\oadiah Ihrd's I he 
specimen was the size of a w.ilmil. nn- 
couuocted with any hjrcign m.iterial, 
and of ;i pure i|ualit\. 



CiniL — Half .1 mile e.ist of the meet- 
ing lioiisc mi the triangular ]iiece of 
ground helmi.ging to llorace Cowles, 
.1 \(.in of co.al was discovered two or 
tlirei' feet helow the surf.ice in the (le- 
c:i>-e(l tr.ap which forms the Hole (knoll I 
in the center of the lot. The vein lay 
north and smith, horizontal, and several 
inches in diameter I'erh.iiis .a hushel 
of coal W.IS found .'ind then the mine 
was exli.austed. The specimens very 
much resemhle the Xewcastle. are pure 
and hum with riMiliness. 

SiiiKlshnirs. of .1 glohnl.ir fnnii. from 
the size of a hullet to :i six pmind shut 
are found in gre.il nmnhers in .Xhirtli- 

iiigton ne.ir .\lainoii W Ifmal's (in 

hre.aking them o]ien. there is iiiiiforml\ 
found .-1 glohul.ar ca\'it\. tilled with con- 
creted s.iiid, 

,\'(ni/(',( ((/ //;<' nir^iihil I'ro/^nrliirs en- 
tered .It the end uf Mr, Rich.anls', as 
per his reipiest, 

_|ohn Wadswdrth. Thom.is ll.irns. 
Uiiherd Se\ inmir. hhlmiind .Scott. Tin mi 
.is r.nll, .Mr W\ll>s. |la\id Cir|ienter. 
Iiihii r.roiismi. Jr. Thomas Jmld, Jr. 
J.ihii Ih-oiismi, Senr . Ji.hn Xurlh. Jr. 

Thmnas Kicherdsmi. Maliheu W 1 

ruff, Willi nil lligaiisnii, Jnliii Lee. 
Thus. r. liter. Senr, Uoherl I'orter. 
D.aniel I'orter, rieiijamiii Jmld, I'hilliii 
Judd. Captain Lewis, Mr. Samuel Hook- 



er, D.iniel Worner. John Worner, Senr., 
William Judd, John Worner, Jr., 
Z.ichriah Seymour, riimnas Porter, Jr., 
.Mr, llaynes, John Clark, Moses Ven- 
tris. Joseph 11 ickco-K, Widow Orvis. John 
W illmi. John Xortoii, Rich.ird P.rown- 
son, John Steele, Samuel Cowdes, John 
Root. Jr., John Porter, John Judd, John 
Andrus, Daniel .\ndrus. .Miraham 
r.roiwnson, Thoni.as Judd, Senr., I'honias 
.\ewell. Stephen H.art, Jr., Isaac 
Pirowusiiii, Thoni.as Tl.anckox, .Miraham 
-Aiidrus, I'.eiioni .Steele. John St.anley, 
Jr. Widow Smitli, Sain'l Steel, Jr., 
John Root, Senr., James P.ird, John 
.Scinell, Stephen Hart, Senr., Mr. New- 
ton. John Stanle\-, Senr., 'Thoni.as Hart, 
John C.arringtou, ( )h.i(liali Ritcherds. 
Lent, .S.ani'l Steele. Isaac .More, John 
11,111. Jonathan Smith. Joseph Wood- 
fiird. John .Xorlli. .Senr., Jacoh Hrown- 
smi. Joliii rhmiipsmi. ddionias Thomp- 
s, III, .S.im'l Xortli. Sam'l Hickco.x. Jo- 
h.iimah Smith, John Lankton, John 

W IriifT. .Simeon Rotherm. riimnas 

dridlew 1 hiiiu.is Ortmi, John Cole. Mr, 
Hawkins. Joseph Ihrd, Sam'l (iridley, 

Tiieir list is .fj 107-0-0, 

/ liii:-r .i;i7'.')i lln' s^rlliiii^ of llir luiiiu-s 
lis Iniiinl in the " /'ri't^iirlnr's linnk I't 
I'lniiiiiitii Liiiiils" />. 15. 

J. TkuiKIiR. 




(llAKI.IvS l;l;,\MII'.i;l:i: Tinni <lril;. 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



205 




TRANSl'LANTlNc \ i,\i:i,i: 'I!: i:k, rMii:i; Tin', si i'ikni-im-, ., iiuis i. umii 




^n-^t 






'.I. 



1 



"MOVINC" I KoM n,\is\ IM.I-; T(l FMiMINCTOX. 




1,1 ■ US K 



iHiKM \N \Mi ■ ( II \i;i.ii; .nun," 



206 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




lunnmh (Otttriahi. 




Hi:iiVi;V L. rUANDALlj. A^^..■s^..l .Hi. I An. Ill" 



ADIilAN I!. W AllSWOinil, Waidifii. 




i'i.'i:hi.i:ic I. scir'T. 1'...-iiii.i<1(t. 





.lUIIN A. SlMII.I.I \|l, Cl.ik. 



i> \\ III i;. iiAU i.i:v. liurgcs 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



207 




WII.I.IVNE II. I)|;MI\(,. .V.S.SIl.S.SCjK. Willi .\ 
FUTUIfH CANDIDATE. 





l.l:«IS C. ItOOT, Auditor 





.SAMl'EI, SroTT. I'nllcrl.M ,,f T.ixi-i. 



liDWAHI) II llHMIN(i, 
JVDHF. Ill rmiHATF.. 



■|HiiM\s II 1 (il.l.lN.S. 

r II mil sr.uiiTMAX. 







^^ 






FRANK E. DORMAN. Sheriff. 



WII.I.IA.M I,. IIHUMUrHT. 

liriioiin.s. 



WILLI. \.\l CAV, 
SECOND gELEVTMAH. 





p^ "^ F 



JUDGE CHARLES VV. UIJIC, 



[/ 

■||\|i i| 






208 



FARMTNGTON, CONNECTICUT, 





Mi^<a»isdi^ 



\,if%i~ 



I orXTIiY (Lrii CDLF LINKS. 



/1\\i)\i, th.iM- who im-orpnraU-:! 

0(j tlir l_'i>iiiilr\ I'lul) ill 1S117 UC'IT 

*^^*^ III.' f.illouniL; i^fiilKiiirii : — X. 

Allirri I l.iokrr i.l" Xcu I laxni; 

linn rililip ( '(M-Ilill i>\ Xl'W 

Brit.-iiii ; I Imi I) X I'.aniry .,1 !■ inn- 
instnii; j K Siiiilli of Wai.i-lMir\ : 
lion I'liin Jrwrll of llarlloial, jolm 
I'- I'.lloii of WaUrlmiN : I K-m \ I. 
Wailc of WaUilMiiv; l-'.irlis II AlHs 
of Xrw I'.nlaiii; lion l'"ra>lns (',a\ of 
Kaniiiniiloii : (.illnri Iv llrnliK-in of 
Hartford; A, Irian R, W'adsworlli of 
I''armiii,i;lon. ami Chark-s TruaiKvax of 
r.ri.lol 

■| hr old l.il, I'idur Cav llonir^tiad 
was ri.' arraiiHiMJ to nui'l tlu' rrciiiiic 
iiK'lils of tlu- i-lnli. and was iisrd as tin- 
Club llon^i- nnlil il-. di'^l riirt ion li\ fna- 

Ma\ II), MKIL 

In till' l'ariinni;loii Maf{a/iiu- of Jiiiu-, 
ii|(ii, Mr. jidiiis (ia\ desorilics tlir old 
Col. I''islirr (ia\ Mouse in diiail. and 
it si'iiiis ap|iro|iiiali' to rr|iriiil liis iK- 
-rriptioji lu-n-. as il niii-i In- of iiilms; 
to tin- i"iti/i-iis id' I'arinin.nloii and of 
pailiiiilai- iiitrri'-l to llir nuiuln-rs ol 
llir ilnl. 

■" I o li\i- ;^riii-ial ions of tlir ilwclli-rs 
on l''ariiiini.;|on stia-ct it had hren a 
familial- ohii-ct II was liuilt for Col 

I'islu-r I. ay. In Cap! Jndah W Inilf. 

to whosi- workmanship tlu- villayr owos 
main of its ohK-r houses, rradiliou. 
for wliiili 1 know 11') aulliorit\, asserts 



thai Col. Ga\- made a jourue\' to 
M.iiiie, no inroiisiderahle uuderlakiui;. 
:iiid 1poii:.;IiI at the same time, luniher for 
liis eouteni])lated lioii.e and lor the 
iiK-eliiii; house of ihe \ illai;e I he lat- 
ter w.is hiiilt in 1771 and the aeeoiint 

1 ks of Col. Ca>. showiie.; \ery l.-ii,i;llu 

and ininuti- dealiie^s with (/a]it. W'ood- 
rulT. under the date of ( )et. 10, I7'i(i 
,!4a\e him eredit 'hy l-'l days' work of 
Miurself JoyueriiiK i^-.'-S ,v li\ •'^'i d.-i\ s. 
In k'rayser £l4-(i-S and h\ I ),n id, 45 
days. Xj-5-0.' Other credits follow I lie 
fouudatinu of the house w.is ,1 reel inyle. 
llie eellar eNteiidin,:.; under the wliole 
hiiildin.u, while lielow all w.is ;i siih- 
eell.ir with stone shelves for the sior- 
a!;e of hutter and ere.-iin. liefon- the d.'i\ 
of iee and refri!.;er:iloi-s, rhoii;_;h near 
1\ ,is deep .IS the well a few feet e.lst 
of ihe liiiildiiii^. il was never wt-t. The 
eniisiiuelioii of the house was peculiar. 
Insle.id of upri.uhl liinhers, a slie.-ithiii.L; 
of two iiuh oak planks set on end. now 
iie.irl, .cs hard as iron, surrounded il, 
on the outside of wliieli tlu- el.iphoirds 
Were nailed, and on the inside the lath 
for the iikisleriii.L; Ihe whole was 

proof atjaiiisl rats, iiiiee. and Indi.in 
lillllels d ile ellillUlevs w-ere l.lid on 
el.iv. inoiLir h.-ilij; used only ,-iho\ e the 
roof. The kitchen w :is in the iiorth- 
e.-isl cnruer and w.is proxided with Iwd 
hrick ovens, hetueeu uliieh w.is the 
big lireplace. .So the house reui.iiiied 



until. Ill iiiuserjuence of the ill health 
of Mr l-'.rastus (ia\. his son I'isher. 
tae yraiidsoii m Col l-'islu-r. was called 
home froin the south u hen- he was 
ensiled ill lucratixe business, to .-is- 
sist ill ihe e.-ire of the faiuil\- .Mm-e 
room w.is iu-i.-iK-d tor two f.'imilies and 
a cambrel roofed striicturi- was ;i(bK-d 
lo the re.ir. willi lines at rit;ht an.yles 
to those .if ihe 111,1111 biiildin,!;. It con- 
tained two kitchens and pantries for 
ihe two f.imilies, Xo i-ellar was e\er 
built under it, t )ii the i-ast side was 
.1 siiu.ire porch with a door le.icliii.y 
into the kitchen on the west, .iiid ,1 
bro,*id s(.-al runnin.L; ihe whole length 
of the north side over which was a 
window .nivin.u li.uht to the pautrv (lii 
the east side, .leross .-i path, stooil ihe 
liost of .111 eiioriuous welCsweei). I lie 
ell rminiiiy oiii from the northwest cor- 
ner. latel\ the kitchen of the Club 
Mouse, was .idded. also a bed room 
.ibiait the \e.ir i.'slJ The owners of 
the Connlis t'liib lloiise moved the 
whole structure b.ick several feet, and 
somewh.il further to the east, addin.ij 
,-i pencil lo tin- front, ,1 vcr,-iiid,i to the 
west side, and ,1 riisiic ciiiiiiiiey to tlie 
norlhwest corner. 'Ihe Kciit-ral effect 
of the oulside w.is carefull,\' |)reserveil. 
Ihe iirescnl southeast corner occupies 
iiearl\ the site of one of the comers 
of the old Lewis house which came 
to (.'ol. (lav with his wife I'liebe Lewis, 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



209 



the broad, flat corner-stone of which 
was until lately religiously preserved. 
In this ancient colonial mansion were 
born two of the children of Col. Gay. 
and all the children of his son Erastus. 
and of his grandson Fisher. It was 
Mr. Erastus Gay who planted along the 
street lines the fine old maples, some 
of which still survive. In front was 
a row of lindens which when measured 
about the year iS.sn had attained the 
height of 9.3 feet. When built, the house 
faced on a fine broad street which ran 
west to the north meadow gate and was 
for many years unincumbent by stores 
nr churches. The road to Waterville 
had not been cut through the ample 
grounds, but ran along the eastern bank 
nf the river. Now within a few years 
all the surroundings arc clnnged. the 
formal garden, the fruitful orchard, 
the farm buildings, all have gone, every 
line of which comes back to memory 
as vividly as the familiar faces found 
a moment absent." 

The Hartford Daily Courant of May 
20, igoi, notices the burning of the 
clubhouse as follows : 



"The handsome home of the Country 
Club of l-'armington caught fire early 
yestcrd.-iy morning, and is a total loss. 
The kitchen and north piazza is all 
tli.it is left. The m.ain structure is 
nothing but a shell, with everything 
burnable in it reduced to ashci. . . . 
It is thought that either the chimney 
became overheated or a spark got into 




I'HOI'KUI'V o|- TIIK COLNTUV ( l.lli. 

a crevice by the fireplace in the cafe ami 
caused the trnuble. The lues them- 
selves were supposedly out at io;,?o 
Saturday night. It was about four 
hours later that Thomas I.ourie of 
L'nionville, passing by noticed flames in 



the cafe and raised an alarm. . . . 
Part of the town's supply of hose is 
kept at the "Elm Tree Inn" next east. 
.ind a stream was soon turned on. . . . 

1 he water supply proved ample, and 
three streams of water were used for 
a couple of hours, but they were' not 
of much avail, as the fire ran all over 
the Iniilding. through the partitions, and 
as fist as apparently put out in one 
place, would break out in another. . . . 

I hat anything was saved was due to 
the energetic work of the villagers. . . . 
the building and its contents were 
worth in the neighborhood of $IO.OOO.OO, 
and there is an insurance of about 
$4,500.00. . . Practically nothing 

ill the building was saved." 

1 he Country Cluh has been noted for 
the quiet atmosphere of the place, and 
with its admirable cuisine has become 
known as one of the best dining clubs 
in this part of the country. It is a 
I'lvorile place for entertainments, and 
many parties of ladies and gentlemen 
have nejoyed the hospitalities dispensed. 
There is an excellent golf course con- 
nected with the club property. 




nil, (ipi,om:i. Fisiii'.ii i;.\v uomks'I'BAI). 



210 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 




CAis s'l'diiio AMI 'nil'; (ni, i'isiii:i; cw iii.\ii;si'k \ii i\ i.s^i 




(11.11 ciirN'inv ci.iMi iioiisi-: aftI'.i; 'I'iih iiiti;. 




P*''- 



PP''p3 CiljjII'JSlHH 




■ 11.1 11., I. ih 



THE VILLAGE OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES. 



211 




Inunintllp. 



SHU-SHl'-GAH. 

Cottage at Xepalnvin, in the Village of Unionville, Town of I'"arniin°ton 
where the Jossakeed of Sicaog Tribe. Mr. George Ulrieh. hides a" 
wee during the summer and fall. 




K0KO-r<0H0. 
The Hunters' Lodge in Xepalnvin. Con strucled from native trees. 






Quaint ancestral chest— called '■Righteous John" 
sign. The family name "Johannis (iercth" is 
armorial bearings. 



lated 1794. of German 
oildly inscribed above 



It was the original intention of the 
publishers to incluilc a large part of 
this beautiful village, which is so close- 
ly allied and associated with Farming- 
ton, in this publication, but the book 
has so far outgrown our original 
modest plans that we were obligcii to 
stop with just an allusion, in the hope 
that our lirst endeavor will meet with 
such approval that Unionville may claim 
a book ,ill for lur own beautiful 
honies and thriving industries in the 
near future. 



"Nrpaltmtu." 



Here nature in its forest garb is at 
its primitive best. The Jossakeed of 
the domain makes it a rule that nothing 
akin to a garden vegetable or culti- 
vated shrub will be allowed to invade 
the .sacred precincts of Nepahwin. 

I he Muskadasha drums in the thick- 
et of Hemlocks. The VVawonaissa wails 
in the twilight from the alder copses. 
The Opeechee and Owaissa sing a 
matin scjug from the yellow birches 
when the Wabasso flits like a shadow. 

I he ninilile .Adjidaumo jumps from 
chestmii td hickory, and (he Kahgahgee 
builds his ni>t unmolested in the ,gianl 
oak. Tlie Sebowisha ripples to the still 
waters of the Gitche-gumee where 
skims the feathery Cheeniami while we 
seek the gamey Kenzoha or the rapa- 
cious Sahwa in the pools or watch the 
Shingcbis in his Higln. The trail leads 
to Koko-Koho, and from there to 
Shu-Shu-Gah. after skirting a Mu.sko- 
day wliere wild flowers grow untram- 
meled we come to the pass Nagow 
W'udjoo where from the wide verandas 
of Pakwana one can watch the Mawa 
flight to Little Phillip beyond Avon to 
Weatogue. No pale face need fear the 
deadly Suggenia in this altitude where 
repose is as natural and restful as the 
scenery is grand and beautiful. 



(SlnBBari|. 



Nepahwin, the spirit of rest: Jossa- 
kcel, prophet ; Muskadsha. ruffled 
grouse ; W'awonaissa, whippoorwill ; 
Opeechee, robin ; Owaissa, blue bird : 
U'abasso, rabbit; .Xdjidannio, squirrel: 
Kohaghgce. raven ; Sebowisha, brook ; 
(iitche-guniee, lake ; Checmaun, canoe : 
Kennzha, pickerel ; Sahwa, perch ; Shin- 
gcbis, diver: Koko-Koho, owl; Shu- 
Shu-Gah, heron: Muskoday, meadow; 
Xagow VVudjoo. sand hill ; Pukwana, 
smoke of peace ; Mawa, wild goose ; Sug- 
genia, mosquito. 



212 



FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, 



Zo the 1Rca^cl^ 



'lliis Hull- |iulilic:ilioii has im preface, lail a l\\v wonU in cnnclusirin seem iin- 
lierative- We lia\e iImik- tin- l)est tliat ue c.ailil In make tliis wmk aLCurate anil in- 
teresting. There is nnt nnich dnnlit Imt llial in spite nf the great care that has heen 
exerLise.l. that mistakes ha\e occnrreck ami we cra\e the indulgence nf nnr readers 
in this resi)ect- If the wuk is a success, it is hei ,iuse nf the help gi\en tn the puhlishers 
hy the towuspenple nf I'arnmiglnn. lnsie,id nf Irving tn rewrite nr write a new- 
article upon nii pst of the suhjects treated, it has hern llmnght wise to pulilish the liest that 
has already heen written .ilmnt the varinus |n]iics used We feel that particular thanks 
are due fmni Us, and thinuKh us, fmm llu' puhlie ;il lar^e, tn Mr. Julius (lay, for so 
kindK allowing Us tn reprnit hi^ \alual)le and inlirestiug ,irticles whde they are his- 
tnricalK correct tn the nuunlesi detail. lhe\ arc .at the same time treated in a style as 
fascinating as the mnst pnpular wnrks .if fiction Witlmut Mr. Gav's assistance, our 
little histor\ would h.i\e lie,-n imeh less \alualile l''armingtnn has a hislnr_\- that is 
intensel\' interesi iiig. and will .iniplx re]ia\ an\ study that ma\ he gi\en tn it. We 
would like to de\ote iiiiu h nmre space to the suliji-ct of Miss Porter's School, lint the 
|)ri\ate nature ol ilie nistitutinii has coiiipelle.l us to treat it very hrietly. Thanks are 
due. among in in\ others, to Miss Catherine L I lemiiig. .Mrs. Chauncex Denting. Rev. 
Quincy Blakclx. .Mrs K 1' Keep. Postmaster K. L. Scott, John .\. Skoglund. 'I'own 
Clerk Charles I'.randcgee. .Mrs limoths II Knnt. Mr J P.. R.\ an. Mr. Will. -\. 
Hooker. Mis. Julia S I'.r.in legce, .\lr. and Mis. Rohcrt lirandegee, Mr. JohnRtilly, 
Mr. .A. R W,ids\\nnh ,ind .Mrs K.irl Kliuser. 

Ill fact from the \er\ cnm.n.iicemeiit nf niir unrk in h'armington, everyone who 
has been requested, willmiit .1 single e.xceptinii. has aideil Us in our wm-k. and our task 
has proved a most pleasing one. 

We bespeak a kind reception for "harniiugton. Cnmieclicut, I he Village uf Beauti- 
ful 1 lollies." 

PL'BLISHF.RS. 



nu 



156 




INDEX. 



Pac;e. 

OLD HOUSES IX FARMIXGTOX, «.v Mr. Ji.lius Cay 7 

FARMIXGTON SCHOOLS, By E. X. S 32 

THE OLD ACADEMY. By M. D. B 3p 

LEGEXD Ol- WILL \\ARRE\-S DEX. By R. H. H ^ 

THE COXGREGATIOXAL CHURCH, Hy The R.-r. Quuuy Btakcly 45 

TUXXIS SEPUS, By Mr. Julius Cay -, 

MOREHEAD LEDGE AXD DL\.MOXD GLEX, By Chaunccy Rozcc 52 

THE WATER LI LH^S, By R. B. B 5^ 

THE MYTH OI' Til !■: BEXD, By R. B. H 55 

THE TUXXIS IXDL^XS, By Mr. Julius Gay -y 

FERXS AXD BIRDS OF FARMIXGTOX, By R. B. B 66 

THE OLD CEMETERY, By Mr. Julius Gay and li. S. X 69 

F.\R.MIXGTOX IX 1S38, from Barber's Historical Collcctwus 77 

FARMIXGTOX WORTHIES, l-rom llu- Farmiauton Magaciiir 79 

EARLY IXDUSTRIES OI' FAR.\nXGTOX, By Mr. Julius Gay 97 

ST. PAT RICK'S .MISSIOX, By Rcz: James H. CVDomicll 113 

THE HART JUG, By E. X. S , ,4 

FROM THE DIARY OF A RI'A'OLUTIOXARY SOLDIER, Eram Magazine 

of American History ug 

A UXIQUE COLLECIIOX, By W. A. Hooker 117 

FARMIXGTOX AXD THE UXDERGROUXD RAILWAY. By E. H. J 12.2 

ST. JAMES' PARISH. By W. A. H 123 

"BIRDSEYEVIEW" ,24 

THE FARMIXGTOX CAXAL, By Mr. Julius Gay 129 

A TRUE STORY OF OLD TI.MES IX FARMIXGTOX, By Ellen Strong 

Bart'.ett ". ,45 

OPEXIXG OF THE VILLAGE LIBRARY, By Mr. Julius Gay 150 

MISS PORTER. MRS. DOW, AXD MISS COWLES, By R. B. B 160 

A MUSICIAX'S REMIXISEXCES, By Eleanor H. Johnson 164 

"MEXDI" OR "A.MISTAD" XEGROES, Compiled from Various Sources hy 

E. X. S ". ,66 

JAPAXESE STUDEXTS, By S. L. Grumar 178 

OLD STORE ACCOUXTS, By E. X. S 179 

FARMIXGTOX WATER WORKS, By A. R. II adstvorth 181 

PEACH RAISIXG 18.' 

"ODD AXD END SHOP," "THE GRUXDY," By M. D. B 185 

PRESIDEXT ROOSEVELT'S VISIT TO FARMIXGTOX 187 

MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL '. 190 

THE VILL.\GE SCHOOL, By Josef lime Canning "95 

■■TR_-\IXIXG DAY," By Mr. Julius Gay .... 198 

THE ELM TREE INX, By Hugh L. White ^; , 199 

EXTRACTS FROM SAMUEL RICHARD'S MAXUSCRIPT HISTORY OF 

FARMIXGTOX 202 

SOME BOROUGH OFFICIALS . 206-207 

THE COUXTRY CLUB -'08 

UNIOXVILLE AXD "XEP.VHWIX" .211 



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